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AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

DOCTORAL DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS IN CANCER NURSING

POLICIES AND INSTRUCTIONS

EFFECTIVE JULY 2017

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 16, 2017

PAPER APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 17, 2017

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, INC. National Home Office

Extramural Grants Department 250 Williams Street, NW, 6th Floor

Atlanta, GA 30303-1002

Voice: 404-329-7558 Fax: 404-417-5974

Web site: http://www.cancer.org/research

Email: [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE: Recent changes to the Doctoral Degree Scholarships in Cancer Nursing Policies and Instructions are noted in text that is blue.

MISSION

The American Cancer Society’s mission is to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.

Doctoral Degree Scholarships in Cancer Nursing Policies July 2017

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DOCTORAL DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS IN CANCER NURSING

POLICIES

CONTENTS

1. OVERVIEW OF THE EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING GRANTS PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ................................................... 4

2. AUTHORITY FOR MAKING GRANTS............................................................................. 9

3. SOURCE OF FUNDS ...................................................................................................... 9

4. WHO MAY APPLY .......................................................................................................... 9

5. COLLABORATIONS WITH ACS INTRAMURAL SCIENTISTS (IF APPLICABLE) ..........10

6. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBLITIES..........................11

7. TOBACCO-INDUSTRY FUNDING POLICY ...................................................................12

8. PEER REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS ..............................................................................13

9. APPLICATION DEADLINES ...........................................................................................13

10. NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION RECEIPT AND REVIEW ........................................15

11. GRANT MANAGEMENT AND PAYMENTS ...................................................................15

12. ANNUAL AND FINAL PROGRESS REPORTS ..............................................................16

13. PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS .................................16

14. FINANCIAL RECORDS AND REPORTS .......................................................................17

15. EXPENDITURES ...........................................................................................................17

16. OWNERSHIP OF EQUIPMENT .....................................................................................18

17. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ..........................................................................18

18. EXTENSION OF TERM OF GRANT/TRANSFERS/LEAVE OF ABSENCE ....................21

19. CANCELLATION OF GRANT .........................................................................................22

20. DESCRIPTION OF DOCTORAL DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS IN CANCER NURSING ..22

21. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM ...............................................................................22

22. REQUIREMENTS OF APPLICANTS ..............................................................................23

23. SELECTION CRITERIA .................................................................................................23

24. TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP .............................................................................................24

25. SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING.............................................................................................24

26. REQUIRED REPORTS ..................................................................................................25

27. CHANGE OF INSTITUTION/ADVISOR ..........................................................................25

APPENDIX A: GUIDELINES FOR MAINTAINING RESEARCH AND PEER REVIEW INTEGRITY ...................................................................................................................26


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APPENDIX B: INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING DELIVERABLES .....................................36


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1. OVERVIEW OF THE EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING GRANTS PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

With a primary focus on beginning investigators, the American Cancer Society’s Extramural

Grants Program seeks to support innovative cancer research across a wide range of disciplines to

meet critically important needs in the control of cancer.

Each year, the Society receives approximately 2,000 requests for support of cancer research and

for training of health care professionals. All proposals are subjected to multiple levels of

rigorous and independent peer review to identify the most meritorious projects for funding.

The Society offers extramural support for research and training via the programs described

below. For program specific information, please see Section 20.

GRANT MECHANISMS

RESEARCH GRANTS FOR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATORS

Research Scholar Grants— Applicants must be independent, self-directed researchers within

six years of their first academic appointment. The maximum award is for 4 years and for as much

as $165,000 per year (direct costs), plus 20% allowable indirect costs.

The only eligibility exception is in the Priority Focus on Health Equity Research in the Cancer

Control and Prevention Research Program, which is restricted to: research studies in

psychosocial, behavioral, health policy or health services which address cancer health equity and

disparities. In this case, investigators can be at any stage of their career. Additionally,

population-based studies that address health equity may propose up to a maximum of 5 years and

$400,000 per year (direct costs), plus 20% allowable indirect costs.

Institutional Research Grants—Awarded to institutions as block grants to provide seed money

for newly independent investigators to initiate research projects. Grants are made for one to

three years, and average $120,000 per year. These grants are renewable.

MENTORED TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Postdoctoral Fellowships—Support for researchers who have received a doctoral degree to

provide training leading to an independent career in cancer research. Awards may be for three

years with progressive stipends of $48,000, $50,000, and $52,000 per year, plus a $4,000 per

year fellowship allowance. In addition, $1,500 will be provided in the last year for travel costs to

attend the ACS Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium, if offered that year, or travel to a domestic

scientific meeting

Mentored Research Scholar Grants—Provides support for mentored research and training to

full-time junior faculty, typically within the initial four years of their first faculty appointment

(see Eligibility Criteria - Section 21of the Grant Policies and Instructions for further

information). The goal is for these beginning investigators to become independent researchers as


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either clinician scientists or cancer control and prevention researchers. Awards are for up to five

years and for up to $135,000 per year (direct costs), plus 8% allowable indirect costs. A

maximum of $10,000 per year for the mentor(s) (regardless of the number of mentors) is

included in the $135,000.

Cancer Control Career Development Awards for Primary Care Physicians— Support for

primary care physicians in supervised programs intended to develop clinical and teaching

expertise and the capacity to perform independent research or educational innovation in cancer

control. Awards are for 3 years and for up to $100,000 per year. A maximum of $10,000 per year

for the mentor(s) may be included in the budget.

Physician Training Awards in Cancer Prevention—Awards to institutions to support

physician training in accredited preventive medicine residency programs that provide cancer

prevention and control research and practice opportunities. Awards are for four and one half

years in the total amount of $300,000, based on an average of $50,000 per resident training year.

These grants are renewable.

PREDOCTORAL TRAINING

Doctoral Training Grants in Oncology Social Work—Awards to doctoral students to conduct

research related to oncology social work. Initial 2-year grants providing a stipend of $20,000 per

year with possibility of a 2-year competitive renewal.

Master’s Training Grants in Clinical Oncology Social Work—Awards to institutions to

support the training of second-year master’s degree students to provide psychosocial services to

persons with cancer and their families. The grant term is two years with annual funding of

$12,000 (trainee award of $10,000 and $2,000 for faculty professional development). These

grants are renewable.

Doctoral Degree Scholarships in Cancer Nursing—Provide support for study in a doctoral

degree program in nursing or a related area, and prepare the graduate for a career as a cancer

nurse scientist. The initial award is for two years and provides a stipend of $15,000 per year.

Scholarships may be renewed for an additional two years based on satisfactory progress.

Graduate Scholarships in Cancer Nursing Practice—Support for graduate students pursuing a

master’s degree in cancer nursing or doctorate of nursing practice (DNP). Awards may be for up

to two years with stipend of $10,000 per year.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY PROFESSOR AWARDS

Research Professor Awards—Awarded to outstanding mid-career investigators who have made

seminal contributions that have changed the direction of cancer research. In general, applicants

will recently have attained the rank of full professor. The awards are for 5 years in the total

amount of $400,000, and may be renewed once.


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Clinical Research Professor Awards —Awarded to outstanding mid-career investigators who

have made seminal contributions that have changed the direction of clinical, psychosocial,

behavioral, health policy or epidemiologic cancer research. In general, applicants will recently

have attained the rank of full professor. The awards are for 5 years in the total amount of

$400,000, and may be renewed once.

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM

Audrey Meyer Mars International Fellowships in Clinical Oncology—Support for one year

of advanced training in clinical oncology at participating US cancer centers to qualified

physicians and surgeons from other countries, particularly countries where advanced training is

not readily available. This program is limited to non-US citizens and provides up to US$65,000

for one year. Annual application deadline is February 1.

SPECIAL INITIATIVE

PRIORITY FOCUS ON HEALTH EQUITY RESEARCH IN THE CANCER CONTROL

AND PREVENTION RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM

Despite the steady overall decline in cancer incidence and mortality rates in the United States,

not all population groups have benefited equally. Differences exist in rates of incidence,

prevalence, mortality and related adverse health conditions in subgroups of the US population. If

application of the existing knowledge about cancer prevention, early detection and treatment

were delivered equally, disparities in cancer could be substantially reduced or eliminated.

Achieving health equity by establishing inclusive health and social systems whereby all people

are treated equitably creates conditions for improving health outcomes.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has a longstanding history of advocacy, education,

community outreach and research in the area of cancer disparities and continues to recognize the

importance of research in the area. As highlighted in reports by the Agency for Healthcare

Research and Quality and the Institute of Medicine, inequitable differences or health disparities

are linked to various determinants of health. The determinants of health are interrelated risk

factors that extend across the life span to impact health (Braveman, 2014). Environmental

conditions—the conditions in which people are born, live, play, thrive, work and worship—and

the available systems supporting health comprise the social determinants of health. Integral to

these influences are the economic, political and social policies that exist in and shape

communities. Besides sociopolitical influences, biology, genetics/genomics and individual

behaviors are also determinants of health. Inequity and health disparities may be further

characterized by age, gender, disability status, ethnicity/race, geography, income, language,

social class, or sexual orientation. The National Stakeholder Strategy for Achieving Health

Equity, supported by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority

Health, presents an action-oriented blueprint to move the nation towards achieving health equity

by combating health disparities with a comprehensive, community-driven approach. The ACS

has overlapping goals and is committed to addressing cancer health equity through research,

education, advocacy and service.


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The ACS Extramural Research and Training Grants Department identifies research addressing

health equity and health disparities as a priority. Within the Cancer Control and Prevention

Research Program of the Department, grant applications in psychosocial and behavioral research

and in health policy and health services research focused on achieving health equity and

eliminating health disparities are welcome from principal investigators at any career stage. This

expanded eligibility is unique to the Priority Area Targeting Health Equity and Health

Disparities in Cancer Prevention and Control. Applicants must explicitly specify the following

within the application: (1) relevance to cancer generally and cancer disparities specifically; (2)

how findings from the proposed research will substantially improve equity in access to cancer

prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and/or treatment services; and (3) how findings may be

applied to more quickly advance efforts to reduce cancer burden or costs, improve quality of care

or quality of life, and/or save more lives. All cancer health equity applications must target two or

more determinants of health. Population-based health equity studies must also target two or more

levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, or public policy) to

propose interventions focused on achieving health equity (McLeroy et al., 1988; CDC, 2014).

Applications will be accepted using one of four mechanisms: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Mentored

Research Scholar Grant, Research Scholar Grant, or Clinical Research Professor. Annual

deadlines: April 1 and October 15.

References:

Braveman P. What Are Health Disparities and Health Equity? We Need to Be Clear .Nursing in

3D: Diversity, Disparities, and Social Determinants. Public Health Reports. 2014 Supplement 2;

129:1-8

McLeroy KR1, Bibeau D, Steckler A, Glanz K. An ecological perspective on health promotion

programs.Health Educ Q. 1988; 15(4):351-77.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Colorectal Cancer Control Program: Social

Ecological Model. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/crccp/sem.htm

REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS (RFAs)

Pilot and Exploratory Projects in Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and their Families —

Supports investigators performing pilot and exploratory research studies that test interventions,

develop research methodologies, and explore novel areas of research in palliative care of cancer

patients and their families. Applications will be accepted via the Pilot and Exploratory Grants

Mechanism. The maximum award is for 2 years and up to $60,000 per year (direct costs) plus

20% indirect costs. Annual Deadlines: April 1 and October 15.

Research Scholar Grant in the Role of Health Policy and Healthcare Insurance in

Improving Access to Care and Performance in Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and

Treatment Services— This RFA is a call for research that evaluates the impact of the many

changes now occurring in the health care system with a particular focus on cancer prevention,

control, and treatment. Efforts focusing on improving access to care may also impact inequities

that contribute to health disparities. New health public policy initiatives, for example the new

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/crccp/sem.htm


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federal and state marketplaces that have expanded insurance coverage, as well as Medicaid

expansion in some states, create natural experiments ripe for evaluation. Research to be funded

by this RFA should focus on the changes in national, state, and/or local policy and the response

to these changes by health care systems, insurers, payers, communities, practices, and patients.

Applications will be accepted via the Research Scholar Grant in Cancer Control and Prevention

Program. Award length and budget limits vary; please see the Research Scholar Grant policies

and instructions for a detailed description of this RFA. Annual Deadlines: April 1 and October

15.

ACS-MRA RFA: Understanding, Preventing, and Managing Immunotherapy-related

Adverse Events (irAEs) Associated with Checkpoint Inhibition for Melanoma and Other

Cancers —The American Cancer Society(ACS) and Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) have

each committed $1 million for the awards. The combined $2 million will be used to fund at least

one Team Award at $1 million for up to three years and up to five pilot grants at $200,000 each

for two years. The purpose of this RFA is to facilitate research focused on prevention, risk, early

detection, and management of short- and long-term immune-related adverse events (irAEs)

associated with FDA-approved or late-stage development checkpoint cancer immunotherapies

for melanoma and other cancers. This RFA will use the American Cancer Society Pilot and

Exploratory Projects (PEP) award mechanism and Multidisciplinary Team Award Grant

mechanism. Complete instructions on these mechanisms can be found here: Pilot and

Exploratory Projects and Multidisciplinary Team Award Grant Mechanism Policies and

Instructions. Deadline October 16 ,2017 for Pilot Award Proposals and October 31, 2017 for

Multidisciplinary Team Award Proposals.

GRANT PROGRAMS

HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN CANCER CONTROL – Virginia Krawiec,

MPA, Program Director

This program provides grants in support of nurses, physicians and social workers to pursue

training in cancer prevention and control practice. The program’s goal is to accelerate the wide

application of research findings in cancer prevention and control by increasing the number of

nursing and social work clinicians, and researchers and physicians with expertise and career

commitment to cancer control.

MOLECULAR GENETICS & BIOCHEMISTRY OF CANCER – Michael Melner, PhD,

Program Director

This program focuses on genes involved in cancer and how alterations in those genes (mutations,

deletions, and amplifications) play roles in the process. Of particular interest is the examination

of the molecules involved in cancer (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates) and how

their activities affect the disease. The program highlights new targets for prevention, detection,

and treatment of cancer.

CANCER CELL BIOLOGY AND METASTASIS – Charles Saxe, PhD, Program Director

The primary goal of this program is to provide an understanding of the nature of cancer cells so

they can be more effectively controlled and eliminated. Emphases include understanding the


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fundamental controls of normal and cancer cells with a focus on how cells regulate when to

grow, when to divide and when to die; how cells create an identity and how cells relate to the

local environment and to other cells; how cells regulate when and how to move from one site to

another.

TRANSLATIONAL CANCER RESEARCH – Lynne Elmore, PhD, Program Director

This program focuses at the interface between laboratory investigations and human cancer. The

scope of the program includes investigations of the role of infectious diseases in cancer, the

discovery, synthesis, and delivery of cancer drugs, the creation and use of animal models of

cancer, and the role of individual or groups of genes in different types of cancer.

CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH, NUTRITION, AND IMMUNOLOGY – Susanna

Greer, PhD, Program Director

This research grant program focuses on investigations including basic, preclinical, clinical, and

epidemiological studies. Areas of interest include new modalities for cancer prevention,

diagnosis and treatment. In addition, the program seeks to improve understanding of cancer-

related inflammatory responses, immunosurveillance, and the use of the immune system for

cancer prevention and therapy. The Program also focuses on exposome links to cancer and

increased understanding of the effects of nutrition and the environment on cancer prevention,

initiation, progression and treatment.

CANCER CONTROL AND PREVENTION RESEARCH –Elvan C. Daniels, MD, MPH,

Program Director

This research grant program focuses on the development and testing of interventions to influence

health behaviors and health care delivery. Research projects in this program focus on cancer risk

reduction and delivery of high quality health promotion, screening, early detection and treatment

services. The program also includes projects directed at health services, outcomes and policy

research to assess the effectiveness of interventions and impact of polices on access to care,

quality of care, and costs of cancer care. Special emphasis is placed on health equity research

addressing disparities in disadvantaged groups, and social determinants of health that drive

inequities.

2. AUTHORITY FOR MAKING GRANTS

All American Cancer Society grants and awards are made by the Chief Executive Officer on

behalf of the Society’s Board of Directors.

3. SOURCE OF FUNDS

The American Cancer Society obtains its funds principally from public donations collected

annually by our many dedicated volunteers. In order to disseminate information about the

Society’s Extramural Research and Training Grants Program to our volunteers and to the public,

grantees may occasionally be asked to give brief presentations to professional and lay audiences.

4. WHO MAY APPLY

Applicants for Mentored Research Scholar Grants, Postdoctoral Fellowships, and


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Cancer Control Career Development Awards for Primary Care Physicians must at the time of

application be United States citizens or permanent residents of the United States. There are no

US citizenship requirements for all other grants.

The Society will recognize only one individual as the responsible investigator and, therefore,

only one only person should be indicated as principal investigator. The Society does not

recognize co-investigators. The principal investigator is responsible and accountable for the

overall conduct of the project.

Although applicants may apply for multiple awards, a grantee may not be the principal

investigator on more than one ACS Grant at any time. Exceptions are made for recipients of

grants that are in response to RFAs and for PIs of Institutional Research Grants.

5. COLLABORATIONS WITH ACS INTRAMURAL SCIENTISTS (if applicable)

1) If an Extramural scientist is planning a collaboration with an ACS Intramural Scientist, they

may be eligible to submit an application if they meet all other requirement of eligibility. Such

collaborations are not required.

2) In most cases, the use of ACS research resources will require that at least one ACS intramural

scientist is included as a collaborator on a grant application. Therefore prior to submission of

an application, the collaboration between extramural scientists and intramural scientists must

be established according to the policies and procedures established by ACS Intramural

Research.

3) Intramural scientists and their staff may participate in grants and contracts in a number of

ways, including:

•Serving as unpaid consultants, collaborator, co-investigator or mentor. Intramural scientists

may not serve as a principal investigator on an ACS grant or contract.

•Contributing to the conceptualization, design, execution, or interpretation of a research study.

•Having primary responsibility for a Specific Aim within a standard research project grant

(e.g. RSG).

•Developing/contributing data for an extramural collaboration.

•Participating in a multi-institutional collaborative arrangement with extramural researchers

for clinical, prevention, or epidemiological studies.

4) ACS Intramural scientists may not receive salary support, travel expenses, or other funds from

ACS-funded grants or contracts.

5) The intramural scientist or extramural scientist may have access to reagents, probes,

laboratory equipment or access to data and to conduct the extramurally funded portion of the

research, as established in their collaborative agreement.

6) While intramural scientists may write a description of the work to be performed by the

intramural department, they may not write an applicant’s grant application or contract

proposal. However, collaborating intramural scientist should review and approve the

appropriate sections.

7) ACS intramural scientist participation must comply with the policies and procedures related

to conflict of interest, non-disclosure and disclosure regulations and conflict of interest.

8) ACS intramural scientists must file annual and final research reports related to their activities

associate with any grant or contract awarded through the Extramural Grants Department.


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1Adapted from document NIH Policy 54815 Implementation of Cooperative Agreement, and

“Funding of Intramural Research Program/Extramural Research Program Collaborations”

[http://sourcebook.od.nih.gov/ethic-conduct/fund-irp-erp-3-00.htm], and “Opportunities and

Guidelines to Facilitate Scientific Collaborations”

[http://www.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/grant/Pages/ extraintracollab.aspx]

6. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBLITIES

The Society’s grants and awards are made to not-for-profit institutions located within the United

States, its territories, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A not-for-profit institution is one

that –IF REQUESTED- can provide:

A current letter from the Internal Revenue Service conferring 501(c)(3) status,

Documentation of an active cancer research program

Unsolicited grant applications will not be accepted from, nor will grants be made for, the support

of research conducted at for-profit institutions, federal government agencies (including the

National Laboratories), or organizations supported entirely by the federal government (with the

exception of postdoctoral fellowship applications) or organizations, such as Foundations

operated by, and for the benefit of, Veteran Affairs Medical Centers, whose primary

beneficiaries are federal government entities. Applications may be submitted by qualified

academic institutions on behalf of Veteran Affairs Medical Centers, provided that a Dean’s

Committee Memorandum of Affiliation is in effect between the two institutions.

The American Cancer Society does not assume responsibility for the conduct of the activities

that the grant supports or the acts of the grant recipient as both are under the direction and

control of the grantee institution and subject to the institution's medical and scientific policies.

Grantee institutions must safeguard the rights and welfare of individuals who participate as

subjects in research activities by reviewing proposed activities through an Institutional Review

Board (IRB), as specified by the National Institutes of Health Office for Human Research

Protections, US Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, grantee institutions

must adhere to DHHS guidelines as well as ACS guidelines regarding conflicts of interest,

recombinant DNA, scientific misconduct, and all other ACS policies and procedures applicable

to the grant application and grant. These policies apply to applicants and applicant institutions as

well.

To signify agreement by the institution to all ACS policies and procedures, an application for a

grant must bear the signature of the official authorized to sign for the institution. Signature of

the department head is also required. Additional signatures are at the discretion of the

institution.

The institution is responsible for verifying that all documentation related to the application

and/or grant, including all representations made by any named researcher (e.g. position or title),

is correct. Further, it is the responsibility of the institution to verify that the applicant is either a

US citizen or permanent resident with a Resident Alien Card or “Green Card,” where applicable.

If the award does not require US citizenship or permanent residency as an eligibility

requirement, the institution is responsible for documenting that the applicant is legally eligible to

work in the US for the duration of the award. For postdoctoral fellowships, if the terminal degree


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is granted after submission of the application, the institution must verify that the degree has been

awarded prior to grant activation.

It is the responsibility of the institution to immediately report to ACS any finding that any

information presented to ACS in connection with the application and/or grant was false. It is

also the responsibility of the institution to immediately report to ACS any action including

recertification, loss of certification, breach of conflict, or misconduct, or any change in a named

researcher’s employment status with the institution, including administrative leave, which may

occur during the term of any award that is pertinent related to the work described in the grant

application. Failure to abide by the terms above, or any other ACS policies and procedures in

connection with the application and/or grant, may result in ACS suspending grant funding, or

canceling the grant, to be decided by ACS in its sole discretion.

By accepting an American Cancer Society award, you agree to the Guidelines for

Maintaining Research and Peer Review Integrity that can be found in the appendix of these

policies.

7. TOBACCO-INDUSTRY FUNDING POLICY

Scientific investigators or health professionals who are funded by the tobacco industry for any

project, or whose named mentors in the case of mentored grants are funded by the tobacco

industry for any project, may not apply and will not be eligible for American Cancer Society

research and training grants. Scientific investigators, health professionals, or named mentors

who accept funding from the tobacco industry for any project during the tenure of an American

Cancer Society research or training grant must inform the Society of such funding, whereupon

the American Cancer Society grant will immediately be terminated. Tobacco industry funding

includes: funds from a company that is engaged in, or has affiliates engaged in the manufacture

of tobacco produced for human use; funds in the name of a tobacco brand, whether or not the

brand name is used solely for tobacco goods; funds from a body set up by the tobacco industry or

by one or more companies engaged in the manufacture of tobacco goods.

The following do not constitute tobacco industry funding for the purposes of this policy:

Legacies from tobacco industry investments (unless the names of a tobacco company or

cigarette brand are associated with them);

Funding from a trust or foundation established with assets related to the tobacco industry

but no longer having any connection with the tobacco industry even though it may bear a

name that (for historical reasons) is associated with the tobacco industry.

Tobacco industry funding is defined for purposes of Society grants and awards applicants and

recipients as money provided or used for all or any of the costs of the research, including

personnel, consumables, equipment, buildings, travel, meetings, and conferences, running

(operating) costs for laboratories and offices, but not meetings or conferences unrelated to a

particular research project.


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8. PEER REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS

The Society's Scientific Program Directors distribute the applications to the most appropriate

Peer Review Committee and then assign each application to at least two committee members for

independent and confidential review. Each committee generally has between 12 and 25

members who are leaders in their areas of expertise, plus up to three “stakeholders.” A

stakeholder is an individual usually without formal training as a scientist or health professional

who has a strong personal interest in advancing the effort to control and prevent cancer through

research and training. This interest could stem from a personal experience with the disease, such

as survivorship, a family cancer experience, or being a caregiver.

Depending on the grant applied for (see specific sections), the committees evaluate applications

based on some or all of the following criteria: (a) the scientific merit, originality, and feasibility

of the application; (b) the qualifications, experience and productivity of the applicant, and the

members of the investigative team; (c) the facilities and resources available; and (d) the promise

of the research or training as related to the control of cancer or to the benefit to be gained by

persons with cancer. At the Peer Review Committee meeting, the most competitive applications

are discussed and a priority score is voted. Written evaluations of each application are provided

to the Council for Extramural Grants (the Council). The Council is a multidisciplinary panel of

senior scientists, many having previously served on a Peer Review Committee, up to three

stakeholders, and the Chair of the Society’s Research and Medical Affairs Committee serving as

an ex officio, non-voting member. After considering the relative merit of the applications, the

amount of available funds and the Society’s objectives, the Council establishes the pay line to

determine which grants will be funded during each cycle. No voting member of a Peer Review

Committee or of the Council may be a member of the ACS staff or serve concurrently on the

Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society.

In general, applications that are not funded may be revised and resubmitted twice;

postdoctoral fellowship applications may only be resubmitted once. Resubmitted

applications will be reviewed in the same detail and compete on an equal basis with all other new

applications. (See Instructions for additional information on resubmission of applications.)

9. APPLICATION DEADLINES

Applications for grants and awards must be submitted as paper and electronic copies via

proposalCENTRAL. Access is available using links provided in the American Cancer Society

web site www.cancer.org (see Instructions). The electronic applications must be submitted at the

proposalCENTRAL website by close of business (5:00 PM EST) on the specified deadline date.

For the convenience of the applicant, a paper copy is due one day after submission of the

electronic copy. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted

the following business day.

No supplemental materials will be accepted after the deadline unless requested by staff for

administrative purposes or when requested by the reviewers. The schedule for application

receipt and review is provided in the following table.

http://www.cancer.org/


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DEADLINE, REVIEW, NOTIFICATION, AND ACTIVATION SCHEDULE

GRANTS Application*

Deadline

Peer Review

Meeting

Preliminary

Notification

Council

Meeting

Grantee

Notification Activation

Research Scholar

Grant

April 1

October 15

June

January

August

March

Sept.

March

October

April

January 1

July 1

Mentored Research

Scholar Grant

April 1

October 15

June

January

August

March

Sept.

March

October

April

January 1

July 1

Postdoctoral

Fellowship

April 1

October 15

June

January

August

March

Sept.

March

October

April

January 1

July 1

Pilot and Exploratory

Projects

April 1

October 15

June

January

August

March

Sept.

March

October

April

January 1

July 1

Institutional Research

Grant April 1 June August Sept. October January 1

Physician Training

Award in Cancer

Prevention

April 1 June August Sept. October January 1

Research Professor

Award

LOI Deadline:

February 1 June NA Sept. October January 1

Application

Deadline: April 1

Doctoral Training

Grant in Oncology

Social Work

October 15 January March March April July 1

Clinical Research

Professor Award

LOI Deadline:

August 1

January NA March April July 1 Application

Deadline: October

15

Master’s Training

Grant in Clinical

Oncology Social Work


Cancer Control Career

Development Award October 15 January March March April July 1

Doctoral Degree

Scholarship in Cancer

Nursing


Graduate Scholarship

in Cancer Nursing

Practice

February 1 March N/A April May July 1

Audrey Meyer Mars

International

Fellowships in Clinical

Oncology

February 1 N/A N/A March April July 1

*Paper copy is due one business day following the deadline for electronic copy.


15

10. NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION RECEIPT AND REVIEW

Approximately one month after receipt of the application, applicants will receive an email

acknowledgment providing an application number, the assigned Peer Review Committee, and the

name and telephone number of their Scientific Program Director. This email will be sent to the

address in the Professional Profile supplied at the time of submission in proposalCENTRAL. It is

important that the address listed in the Professional Profile is a viable mailing address as it will be

used to notify you throughout the review and award process.

Preliminary Notification. Following review, preliminary information regarding the status of an

application will be emailed along with instructions to download copies of the reviewers’

critiques. The notification will also indicate the likelihood of funding as described by one of the

following phrases: experience suggests that (a) your application has been recommended for

funding, (b) we cannot predict the likelihood of funding at this time or (c) your application is not

likely to be funded. Please note that all final funding decisions are made by the Council for

Extramural Grants which typically meets in March and September.

Applicants may call the Extramural Grants Department at anytime during the review cycle. The

Program Director and Program Coordinator will shepherd your application through the entire

process. Following receipt and careful consideration of the critiques, applicants are encouraged to

contact their Program Director to discuss their review. For those applicants considering

resubmission, it is strongly encouraged that they contact their Program Director well in advance of

the next deadline.

11. GRANT MANAGEMENT AND PAYMENTS

New grantees will receive a packet of information which includes instructions for activation of

the award. The activation form as well as other important information about the grant can be

found at https://proposalcentral.altum.com. Select the Award tab to see the Post Award

Management Site.

Grant payments will be made at the end of each month, except for nursing scholarships and

social work grants, which are made once yearly at the beginning of the year. The American

Cancer Society requires that all payments are made to the sponsoring institution and are mailed

to the address indicated on the grant activation form. Acknowledgment of payment by the

sponsoring institution is not required. Continued funding by ACS throughout the grant period is

contingent upon institution complying with all of the terms related to the grant; and failure to

comply with all of the grant terms may result in a suspension of grant funding, or cancellation of

the grant, to be determined by ACS in its sole discretion.

Personnel compensated in whole or in part with funds from the American Cancer Society are not

considered employees of the Society. Institutions are responsible for issuing the appropriate IRS

tax filings for all individuals receiving compensation from American Cancer Society grants and

are responsible for withholding and paying all required federal, state, and local payroll taxes with

regard to such compensation. Any tax consequences are the responsibility of the individual

recipient and the sponsoring institution. We advise all grant and award recipients to consult a tax

advisor regarding the status of their awards.

https://proposalcentral.altum.com/


16

12. ANNUAL AND FINAL PROGRESS REPORTS

The following policies apply to Research Scholar Grants, Mentored Research Scholar Grants,

and Postdoctoral Fellowships. For all other grants, see the appropriate "Required Progress

Reports" sections. Annual and final reports represent a critical part of responsible stewardship of

the donated dollars. We greatly appreciate your efforts to assist us in fulfilling this important

commitment to our donors.

A. Both nontechnical and scientific progress reports are to be submitted each year within 60

days after the first and subsequent anniversaries of the start date of the grant, and final

reports are due within sixty days after the grant has terminated. To access the necessary

forms for annual and final progress reports, please go to https://proposalcentral.altum.com.

B. The final report should cover the entire grant period. In the event a grant has been extended

without additional funds, the final report is not due until the official termination date of the

grant. If the grant is terminated early, a final report must still be completed within 60 days

of the termination date.

C. Reports are to be submitted in a timely manner. If this is not possible, a written request to

extend the reporting deadline must be made. Otherwise, noncompliance may result in the

withholding of payment on all grants in effect at the recipient institution until reports are

received.

D. Please note that up to date annual reports are required when requesting any grant

modifications including transfers or no cost extensions.

13. PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Publications resulting from research or training activities supported by the American Cancer

Society must contain the following acknowledgment: "Supported by (insert name of grant and

number) from the American Cancer Society.” In the event that there are multiple sources of

support, the acknowledgment should read "Supported in part by (insert name of grant and

number) from the American Cancer Society” along with references to other funding sources. The Society’s support should also be acknowledged by the grantee and by the institution in all

public communication of work resulting from this grant, including scientific abstracts (where

permitted), posters at scientific meetings, press releases or other media communications, and

Internet-based communications.

Although there is no formal approval process for publications by Society grantees, it is helpful if

investigators notify their Program Directors when manuscripts have been accepted for

future publication. This will allow ample time to consider and coordinate any additional public

or Society-wide notifications. If your institution decides to send out a press release involving

any of your Society-supported research, please notify the ACS Communications representative

(phone number on your award letter) or your Program Director in advance.

ACS grants to you a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to use the ACS logo (as shown

below) in connection with your funded work. We encourage you to use the following ACS logo

on any scientific poster, in a Power Point presentation, or any other visual presentation about



17

your funded work where the ACS is noted as a funding source. In turn you agree to provide any

materials featuring the ACS logo to ACS upon our request.

Permission to use the logo is limited to the uses outlined in the above paragraph. This is not

meant to be used to indicate endorsement of products such as guidelines, websites, software for

mobile devices(apps), or tool kits, etc.

14. FINANCIAL RECORDS AND REPORTS

A report of expenditures must be submitted within 90 days of the expiration date of the grant as

indicated in the award letter. Any change in terms such as a no-cost extension will alter the date

that the report is due. There are different reporting requirements for the Institutional Research

Grant (please see the “Required Financial Reports” section in the IRG policies). Annual

financial reports are not required. To access the necessary forms, please go to

https://proposalcentral.altum.com.

Signatures of the principal investigator and the institution’s financial officer are required. Any

unexpended funds must be returned to the Society.

Reports are to be submitted in a timely manner. If this is not possible, a written request to extend

the reporting deadline must be made. Otherwise, non-compliance may result in the withholding

of payment on all grants in effect at the recipient institution until reports are received.

Institutions must maintain separate accounts for each grant, with substantiating invoices

available for audit by representatives of the American Cancer Society. The Society is not

responsible for expenditures made prior to the start date of the grant, costs incurred after

termination or cancellation of the grant, or for commitments against a grant not paid within 60

days following the expiration date, or any expenditure that exceed the total amount of the award.

(See also section 19, "Cancellation.")

15. EXPENDITURES

American Cancer Society research grants are not designed to cover the total cost of the research

proposed nor the investigator's entire compensation. The grantee's institution is expected to provide

the required physical facilities and administrative services normally available at an institution.

For grants that allow indirect costs, the calculation of allowable indirect costs includes all budget

items except permanent equipment. See the Instructions for allowable expenditures for Health

Professional Training Grants (Nursing Scholarships, Social Work Training Grants, Cancer Control

Career Development Awards and Physician Training Awards in Cancer Prevention).

The Society's research grants do not provide funds (direct budget) for such items as:

Secretarial/administrative salaries



18

Student tuition and student fees including graduate and undergraduate; however, tuition is an

allowable expense for the principal investigator of a Mentored Research Scholar Grant.

Foreign travel (special consideration given for attendance at scientific meetings held in Canada)

Books and periodicals except for required texts for coursework in the approved training plan for

MRSGs.

Membership dues

Office and laboratory furniture

Office equipment and supplies

Rental of office or laboratory space

Recruiting and relocation expenses

Non-medical services to patients (travel to a clinical site or patient incentives are allowable

expenses)

Construction, renovation, or maintenance of buildings/laboratories

However, Society research and training grant funds can be used for computer purchases that are for

research and training purposes, and can be purchased with direct funds from the equipment budget.

See specific policies for different funding mechanisms.

16. OWNERSHIP OF EQUIPMENT

Equipment purchased under American Cancer Society research grants or extensions thereof is for

the use of the principal investigator and collaborators. Title of such equipment shall be vested in the

institution at which the principal investigator is conducting the research. In the event the American

Cancer Society authorizes the transfer of a grant to another institution, equipment necessary for

continuation of the research project purchased with the grant funds may be transferred to the new

institution. Title to such equipment shall be vested in the new institution.

17. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

As a not-for-profit organization supported by public contributions, the Society believes it has the

responsibility to adopt policies and practices that enhance the likelihood that potentially

beneficial discoveries and inventions will be exploited to the benefit of humankind. It is the

desire of the Society that such inventions be administered in such a manner that they are brought

into public use at the earliest possible time. The Society recognizes that often this may be best

accomplished through patenting and/or licensing of such inventions. Accordingly, the Society

has adopted the following patent policy that is binding on all Grantees and Not-for-profit Grantee

Institutions (hereinafter "Grantee"), excluding postdoctoral fellowship Grantees at the National

Institutes of Health and other government laboratories, for whom the applicable patent policies

of the federal government shall apply. Acceptance of a grant from the Society constitutes

acceptance of the terms and conditions of this policy. It is a goal of the Society that the terms

and conditions of this policy not conflict with the established patent policy of Grantee.

A. All notices required pursuant to this policy shall be in writing, and in this policy, the

following terms shall have the meaning set forth below.

i. "Invention" shall mean any potentially patentable discovery, material, method, process,

product, program, software or use.


19

ii. "Funded Invention" shall mean any Invention made in the course of research funded in

whole or in part by this Society grant.

iii. "Public Disclosure" shall mean any publication, presentation, offer for sale or any activity

that would affect the patentability of the invention under 35 USC. § 102 or 103.

iv. "Net Income" shall mean gross income received by Grantee in respect of a Funded

Invention less inventor distributions in accordance with Grantee policy, payments to joint

holders of Funded Invention, and unreimbursed directly assignable out-of-pocket

expenses resulting from patenting and licensing for Funded Invention.

B. Grantee shall notify the Society of each Funded Invention made by Grantee within thirty

(30) days after the disclosure of the Funded Invention to Grantee's Technology Transfer

Office or the equivalent thereof. Grantee shall promptly determine whether it desires to seek

patent or other statutory protection for all Funded Inventions promptly after each Funded

Invention is made and shall promptly inform the Society of all decisions to seek or not seek

such protection. The Society shall have the right to seek patent or other statutory protection,

at the Society's expense, for any Funded Invention in any country where Grantee has

decided not to seek protection or has failed to file an application for such protection within

six (6) months after disclosure of the Funded Invention to the Society, and, upon the

Society's request, Grantee shall file for patent protection for Funded Invention in such

countries as directed by Society at the Society's expense.

C. Grantee shall promptly notify the Society of the filing and issuance or grant of any

application for a patent or other statutory rights for a Funded Invention and shall keep the

Society reasonably informed of the status and progress of all such applications. Grantee

shall pay all costs and expenses incident to all applications for patents or other statutory

rights and all patents and other statutory rights that issue thereon owned by Grantee (other

than as provided for in Sections B or C). Grantee shall also notify the Society at least sixty

(60) days in advance of Grantee's intention to abandon any application for a patent or other

statutory right for a Funded Invention or not to take action required to maintain any such

application or any patent or other statutory right in a Funded Invention, in which event, at

the request of the Society, Grantee shall continue patent protection for Funded Invention as

directed by Society at the Society's expense (unless maintenance of such patent rights is

inconsistent with Grantee’s good name).

D. Each of the Society and Grantee (the appropriate Grantee technology transfer officer

managing Funded Invention) shall promptly inform the other of any suspected infringement

of any patent covering a Funded Invention and of any misappropriation, misuse, theft or

breach of confidence relating to other proprietary rights in a Funded Invention. Grantee and

Society will discuss in good faith further action to be taken in this regard.

E. Grantee shall notify the Society within thirty (30) days of grant of a license, lease, or other

revenue generating agreement involving a Funded Invention. In the event that Grantee fails

to license a Funded Invention within five (5) years from the issuance of a patent for the


20

Funded Invention and the Grantee has determined no viable means of commercialization for

Funded Invention, Grantee shall license the Funded Invention, with the right to sublicense,

to the Society (under standard Grantee license terms on a royalty free basis). However,

should the Society receive any revenue from sublicensing the Funded Invention, it will share

that revenue with Grantee on a mutually acceptable basis.

F. Grantee will license a Funded Invention in accordance with Grantee Policy and established

practices.

G. i. The Society waives the receipt of income until the Net Income from the Funded

Invention exceeds $500,000.

ii. Once the Net Income from a Funded Invention exceeds $500,000, Grantee shall pay the

Society annually a percentage of the Net Income from the Funded Invention that is

proportionate to the Society's proportion of the financial support for the research that

resulted in the Invention. Such royalty payment shall be accompanied by an

appropriate statement of account detailing the amount and showing the calculation of

Net Income received by Grantee during the preceding year. The Society shall have the

right to audit the Grantee's books and records annually, in order to verify the Net

Income derived annually from any Funded Invention.

iii. The percentage of Net Income due the Society from a Funded Invention shall be

determined by the parties within 90 days of the date the Society is notified by the

Grantee (to be extended by mutual agreement of both parties) pursuant to Section E

above of the grant of a license, lease or other revenue generating agreement involving

the Funded Invention.

If the parties are unable to agree on the percentage of Net Income payable to the Society or any

amount owed to Grantee pursuant to Paragraph E above, the dispute (the "Dispute") shall be

resolved as follows:

One of the parties shall request (the "Negotiation Request") that each of the parties appoint a

designated executive management representative to meet for the purpose of endeavoring to

resolve such Dispute. The designated executive representatives, who shall not have been directly

involved in the initial negotiations, shall discuss the Dispute and negotiate in good faith in an

effort to seek a resolution. During the course of such negotiation, all reasonable requests made

by one party to the other for information will be honored so that each of the parties may be fully

advised regarding the Dispute. If the designated executive representatives are unable to resolve

the Dispute within 30 days after the Negotiation Request, the parties shall mediate the Dispute

with a mutually acceptable mediator within the 30-day period beginning 31 days after the

Negotiation Request. If the Dispute is not resolved by mediation within 60 days after the

Negotiation Request, either party may initiate arbitration by delivering an arbitration demand to

the other party (initiator of arbitration will travel to venue of other party), and the Dispute shall

be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American

Arbitration Association ("AAA"), except that


21

(a) there shall be one arbitrator mutually agreed upon by both parties within 30 days after

initiation of arbitration and if the parties are unable to agree upon an arbitrator, the

arbitrator shall be appointed by AAA;

(b) neither party may submit more than 20 interrogatories, including subparts;

(c) neither party shall be entitled to take more than two depositions and no deposition shall

last more than two hours;

(d) all discovery shall be concluded within 90 days of serving the arbitration demand;

(e) each party shall bear its own costs and expenses and attorney's fees and an equal share of

the arbitrator fees and any administrative fees of the arbitrator; and

(f) arbitration shall not be utilized if Grantee is prohibited by law from submitting itself to

binding arbitration.

The award of the arbitrator shall be binding, and judgment upon the award rendered by the

arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

Please note that the American Cancer Society is unable to renegotiate the terms of this

agreement with any individual institution.

18. EXTENSION OF TERM OF GRANT/TRANSFERS/LEAVE OF ABSENCE

A request for the extension of a grant term without additional funds must be submitted in writing to

the Program Director 90 days before the expiration date of the grant. An extension of term request

form can be found at https://proposalcentral.altum.com. Please include with the request an

estimate of the funds to be carried over into the extension, and an explanation for the delay in

completion of the specific aims – which aims remain incomplete and why. In general, a grant may

be extended for up to one year if a programmatic need is justified and the funds to be carried over

into the no-cost period do not exceed an amount equivalent to one year of support (direct plus

indirect).

Requests for a leave of absence will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the

Program Director at least 30 days prior to the proposed beginning of leave.

A grantee who plans to change institutions during the grant period must contact the Program

Director to initiate the transfer request process.

Please note that up-to-date annual reports are required prior to approval of any grant

modifications including transfers and no cost extensions.

The Society reserves the right to deny requests for extensions, leaves of absence, or transfers.



22

19. CANCELLATION OF GRANT

If a grant is to be canceled prior to the original termination date, contact your Program Director and

please fill out and submit the Request for Cancellation form which can be found at

https://proposalcentral.altum.com.

The American Cancer Society may cancel a grant in its sole discretion if the institution fails to

comply with all of the terms and obligations related to the grant. In the event a grant is canceled;

the institution is only entitled to the prorated amount of the award accumulated between the start

and termination dates. If the Postdoctoral Fellowship is cancelled prior to its end date, payments

of the fellowship allowance will be prorated on a monthly basis. The Society cannot assume

responsibility for expenditures in excess of the prorated amount.

Please note that if the award is to be canceled after initiation of the grant period, a final report will

be due within 60 days of the termination date describing the work completed up to that point.

For Master's Training Grants in Clinical Oncology Social Work, Doctoral Training Grants in

Oncology Social Work, Graduate Scholarships in Cancer Nursing Practice, and Doctoral Degree

Scholarships in Cancer Nursing, withdrawal from the graduate program requires cancellation of

the grant.

20. DESCRIPTION OF DOCTORAL DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS IN CANCER NURSING

The goal of this program is to strengthen nursing practice by providing assistance for advanced

preparation in the field of cancer nursing research. This education will qualify the scholarship

recipient for the award of a doctoral degree in nursing or a related field, and prepare the graduate for

a career as a cancer nurse scientist.

Please read carefully the eligibility and other requirements set forth below before completing the

application. Prospective applicants who are unsure of their eligibility or any other of the

program requirements should contact the Society for clarification prior to submission of an

application. Questions should be directed to:

Virginia Krawiec, MPA

Director, Health Professional Training in Cancer Control

Stella Jones, Program Coordinator

404-329-5734 / [email protected]

21. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM

A. The program must be offered within an accredited academic institution located in the United

States that can award a doctoral degree in nursing or a related field of research.

B. The program must offer an affiliation with an organized multidisciplinary program in cancer

control or cancer care that allows the applicant the flexibility to develop educational and

research activities related to cancer nursing.


mailto:[email protected]


23

C. The program of study must be planned with faculty who are experts in the applicant’s field of

study and can guide the student’s educational experiences.

22. REQUIREMENTS OF APPLICANTS

A. The applicant must be currently enrolled in or applying to a doctoral degree program in nursing or

a related field of research. Students in programs that award the doctorate of nursing practice

(DNP) are not eligible for this program, but may apply for a Graduate Scholarship in Cancer

Nursing Practice.

B. The applicant must meet requirements for doctoral study and must have been accepted by the

institution to which s/he has applied at the time of funding.

C. The applicant must have a current license to practice as a registered nurse.

D. Applicants are not required to be United States (U.S.) citizens. However, any applicant who is

not a U.S. citizen must hold a visa that will allow him or her to remain in the U.S. long enough

to complete the degree program and graduate. It is the responsibility of the institution to

determine and document the visa status of any non-citizen recipient of ACS funds. Note: the

American Cancer Society will not intercede on behalf of non-citizens whose stay in the U.S.

may be limited by their visa status.

E. The applicant must project a program of study that integrates cancer nursing and provides

evidence of faculty support for the program of study. Scholarship recipients must take a

minimum of 18 credit hours or 6 courses per year (unless coursework has been completed and

the student accepted to candidacy).

F. The applicant must demonstrate a commitment to cancer nursing as evidenced by recent

experience, education, and/or research in the specialty area.

23. SELECTION CRITERIA

A successful applicant will provide the evidence for:

Relevant professional experience in oncology, e.g., cancer nursing or related field;

Involvement in professional organizations, including leadership roles;

Involvement in activities of the American Cancer Society or other relevant volunteer

organizations;

Clear, explicit, and realistic professional goals;

Consideration of program components, particularly oncology content, in selecting a doctoral

program;

Conduct or plan to conduct research that is important, methodologically sound, and relevant to

the health of persons affected with cancer or at risk for cancer;


24

Commitment from a faculty advisor who is experienced in the student’s area of study and will

provide guidance in academic and research activities;

Selection of a doctoral program which will support the student’s professional goals and

research; and

Dedication to cancer nursing research.

As appropriate to time since completion of an undergraduate or entry-level master’s degree in

nursing, a successful applicant will show evidence of:

A developing record of publication, presentations and/or other creative scholarly work;

Receipt of various academic and/or professional awards and honors.

The complete criteria used by the peer reviewers are included in the Appendix to the Instructions.

24. TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP

The scholarship is intended to provide support for a minimum of one year and a maximum of four

years of study in a graduate program leading to a doctoral degree. Scholarships become effective

July 1 and may be prorated if the student graduates before the end of the academic year.

The initial application is for a two-year grant, which may be renewed for an additional two years.

This renewal will not compete with applications from candidates applying for new Doctoral

Scholarships. Documentation of satisfactory progress in the graduate program and approval by the

peer review committees is required for renewal. (See Required Reports.)

Scholarship recipients intending to request a non-competing renewal of their grant (to receive third

and fourth year funding) must submit a grant application for a Doctoral Degree Scholarship in

Cancer Nursing – Non-Competing Renewal, which is due on October 15 of the second year of the

grant. The application materials are available on proposalCENTRAL.

Students who are admitted to BSN-PhD programs without first having earned a master’s degree are

eligible to apply for the Doctoral Degree Scholarship in Cancer Nursing. However, they should first

apply for support via the Graduate Scholarship in Cancer Nursing Practice, and subsequently apply

for a Doctoral Degree Scholarship. These students may not receive Doctoral Degree Scholarship

funding until they have completed any required master’s level coursework.

25. SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING

The doctoral degree scholarship provides up to $15,000 annually for tuition and related

educational expenses including subsistence. Allowable expenses include, but are not limited to

stipend, local transportation costs, computers, books and journals, professional organization

membership dues, education and research-related conferences and workshops, health and dental

insurance, research-related costs (research assistant, equipment and supplies, etc.) Subsistence

expenses are living expenses during the student's time in the doctoral degree program.


25

Students who receive more than one year of funding may carry forward to subsequent years any

unexpended funds. Specifically, funds remaining at the end of the first year of a two year

scholarship may be used in the second year or carried over to a renewal grant at the end of the

original scholarship.

Scholarship payments will be made to the institution office designated on the activation form;

payments will be made once yearly in July. The institution may not charge indirect costs to the

scholarship. The award is not transferable and may not be awarded to other students in the event of

the recipient’s withdrawal from the degree program.

26. REQUIRED REPORTS

Within six weeks of completion of the grant period, the trainee must submit a summary report

describing the education and research activities in which s/he participated. The report must also

include a general audience summary, in nontechnical language, of the trainee’s dissertation

research project findings. The Society will not act on applications from a department in an

institution until all required reports from former trainees are received. The American Cancer

Society will provide a form for this purpose during the final year of the grant.

27. CHANGE OF INSTITUTION/ADVISOR

Recipients of a Doctoral Degree Scholarship in Cancer Nursing may not transfer their scholarship

from one institution to another.

During the period from the receipt of an application through the end of an award, change of

advisor requires written notice to the Society. Prior to a change, the American Cancer Society

must receive a request for the proposed change in writing, indicating the anticipated change date

and the reason for the change. The request must address the following:

The total number of graduate and postdoctoral student who will be directly supervised by

advisor during the term of scholarship.

A representative list of previous students, their present employing organization, and position

title or occupation (limit to five).

Advisor’s ongoing research activities that relate to your study.

A brief description of advisor’s relationship to date with you.

A Faculty Advisor/Dissertation Chair Biographical Sketch completed by the proposed advisor must

also be included. This form is part of the application; contact the American Cancer Society to

obtain a copy.


26

APPENDIX A: GUIDELINES FOR MAINTAINING RESEARCH AND PEER REVIEW INTEGRITY

The American Cancer Society seeks excellence in the discovery and dissemination of

knowledge regarding the cause, prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and

health policy of cancer. This requires that all individuals affiliated with, or funded by, the

American Cancer Society adhere to the highest standards of professional integrity. Volunteer

grant reviewers for the American Cancer Society will also be held to the highest codes of

conduct and integrity in performing their essential function of peer review.

The American Cancer Society provides grant funds for individuals at academic and other

not-for-profit institutions to promote cancer-related training, research and treatment. This

represents a contractual relationship with such institutions, and it is an accepted responsibility

and obligation of those institutions to provide policies and procedures for their faculty, staff and

students that address possible misconduct in training, research and treatment of patients.

Moreover, it is the responsibility and obligation of faculty, students and staff engaged in

scientific research and training to be aware of policies and procedures for addressing possible

misconduct at their institutions, and to follow those procedures in reporting possible misconduct.

While questions of the integrity of applicants, grantees, and reviewers are very

infrequent, they do occur. It is the responsibility of the Program Directors managing the review

process and portfolios of funded grants and the responsibility of the Senior Vice President for

Extramural Research to ensure that all questions regarding research integrity are handled in a

discrete, but thorough manner. The actions of the Program Directors and the Senior Vice

President for Extramural Research must ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of the

individual raising the question of misconduct; ensure the integrity of the American Cancer

Society and its review processes; ensure the rights of the individual accused of misconduct; and

ensure their own credibility and integrity.

Article I

Standards and Definitions:

1.1 Research Misconduct by Applicants or Grantees

The American Cancer Society uses the following definitions related to scientific

misconduct outlined in the Federal Guidelines [Federal Register, Vol. 65, No. 235, ppg. 76260-

76264].

Research misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in

proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results.1

Research, as used herein, includes all basic, applied, and demonstration research

in all fields of science, engineering, and mathematics. This includes, but is not

limited to, research in economics, education, linguistics, medicine, biology,


27

chemistry, psychology, natural sciences, social sciences, statistics, and research

involving human subjects or animals.1

Fabrication is defined as making up data or results and recording or reporting

them.1

Falsification is defined as manipulating research materials, equipment, or

processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not

accurately represented in the research record.1 The research record is defined as the record of data or results that embody the

facts resulting from scientific inquiry, and includes, but is not limited to, research

proposals, laboratory records, both physical and electronic, progress reports,

abstracts, theses, oral presentations, internal reports, and journal articles.1

Plagiarism is defined as the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes,

results, or words without giving appropriate credit.

Research misconduct does not include honest error or differences of opinion.1

Reported Qualifications must be accurate (e.g. years since degree earned).

1.2 Research Misconduct by Peer Review Committee Members

The American Cancer Society has adopted the following definitions of misconduct in

review by members of a Peer Review Committee. Misconduct in review is defined as:

Review for an application for which there is a clear conflict of interest between

the reviewer and applicant. What is considered a COI – a recent publication, grant

collaboration, trained together

Failure to notify ACS personnel of actual, potential, perceived or potentially

perceived conflicts of interest.

Any communication pertaining to review related materials between a member[s]

of a peer review committee and an applicant, or the mentor of an applicant, in the

case of applications with an element of training as part of the application.

Any communication of the unpublished content of a grant application by a

member or members of a peer review committee with any individual who is not a

permanent or ad hoc member of the peer review committee to which an

application is assigned, or who has not been approved by the Program Director for

such communication.

Any use of the unpublished content or concepts of a grant application in pursuit of

scientific or career goals by a member of a peer review committee.

Any review of, or use of, the contents of a grant application by a member or

members of a peer review committee who might have, or be perceived to have, a

conflict of interest with the applicant or his/her mentor, in the case of applications

with an element of training as part of the application

1 The above definitions are outlined in the Federal Guidelines [Federal Register, Vol.65, No.235, ppg: 76260-76264]


28

1.3 Confidentiality Standard for Reviewers

To preserve the integrity of the peer review process, all parties involved in the review

process must adhere to the following practices regarding confidentiality and non-disclosure:

Reviewers must not discuss applications reviewed with any individual not

designated as a part of the review process; and especially not with applicants, or

their mentors in the case of training grants, either before or after the peer review

meetings.

Any inquiries to a peer review panel member regarding an application from an

applicant, PI, Co-PIs, consultants or their mentor, to a member of a Peer Review

Committee or ACS Council for Extramural Grants must be reported immediately

to the Program Director.

All materials related to the review process must be destroyed or given to the

Program Coordinator at the end of the review meeting.

For purposes of this standard, materials related to the review process include, but

are not limited to: paper, bound volumes, compact disks (CDs), flashdrives,

electronic files accessed via the internet, or oral presentations or discussions.

1.4 Conflict of Interest Standard for Reviewers

To preserve the integrity of the peer review process, all participants in the process must

adhere to these principles and practices:

Reviewers must not be an employer or employee of an applicant, and may not be

employed by the same institution as an applicant within three years of the date of

submission of an application

Reviewers must not be a party to any agreement for future employment or other

agreements or arrangements with an applicant or any person listed as key

personnel on an application

Reviewers must not have served as mentors or collaborators of an applicant

within 3 years of the date of an application

Reviewers must not participate in the review of an application submitted by a

standing member of a Peer Review Committee serving on the same review

committee, with the exception of Health Professional Training Grants or

Institutional Research Grants

Reviewers must not be under the health care of, or providing health care to, an

applicant or any person listed as key personnel on an application

Reviewers must not have received or have the potential to receive direct financial

benefit from the application

Reviewers must not be pursuing research projects which might be viewed as

being in direct competition with applicants or their collaborators and colleagues;

nor have potential to receive direct benefit from failure of the application to be

funded


29

Reviewers must not have any cause of action against, any dispute with, any long-

standing scientific or personal differences with, or any claim whatsoever against

the applicant or any person listed as key personnel on an application

Articles II

Policies:

2.1 Policy Governing Misconduct by Applicants and Grantees

2.1.1 Applicants:

Any allegations of scientific misconduct must be brought to the immediate attention of

the Program Director in charge of the Peer Review Committee which is responsible for

reviewing the work in question. If possible, allegations of misconduct on the part of an applicant

in the submission of a grant proposal should be raised in advance of the review meeting. The

Program Director will then bring the allegation to the attention of the Senior Vice President for

Extramural Research at ACS. The Senior Vice President for Extramural Research will evaluate

the allegation and make a determination on the misconduct issue and the appropriate next steps

to be taken to engage in further investigation or action in accordance with Article III “Procedures

for Handling Conflicts of Interest and Allegations or Findings of Misconduct in Research and

Peer Review”.

2.1.2 Grantees:

In instances where alleged scientific misconduct occurs after the awarding of a grant,

such as in the publication of falsified data, the Program Director will bring the allegation to the

attention of the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research at ACS. The Senior Vice

President for Extramural Research will evaluate the allegation and make a determination of the

appropriate steps to be taken to engage in further investigation or action as defined in Article III,

“Procedures for Handling Conflicts of Interest and Allegations or Findings of Misconduct in

Research and Peer Review”.

2.2 Policy Governing Misconduct by Peer Review Committee Members

2.2.1 Confidentiality:

Confidentiality is at the heart of the peer review process and is imperative for objective

evaluation and free expression in the review process. The applicant-reviewer relationship is a

privileged alliance founded on the ethical rule of confidentiality.2 To maintain the essence and

integrity of the peer review process, the Society and its appointed peer reviewers must ensure

and be assured that the confidentiality of the applicant’s information, the contents of the grant

application, and of the proceedings of the review panel will be maintained. Such confidentiality

adheres when a person discloses information to another with the understanding that the

information will not be divulged to others without the disclosurer’s consent, or as otherwise

required by law. In the context of peer review, this rule upholds the applicants’ rights to have the


30

information they submit, whether in proposal form or in communications, kept confidential. The

rule also ensures that those involved in the review process maintain their obligation to keep

confidential any information concerning an application. In fact, the very existence of a

submission should not be revealed (or confirmed) to anyone other than those within the review

process unless and until the application is funded.

To this end, all contents, evaluation and discussion of applications shall be confined to

Peer Review Committee (PRC) members and ACS staff personnel (Program Director, Senior

Vice President for Extramural Research, Program Coordinator, support staff) responsible for

managing the review process of that PRC. For these purposes, reviewers include all standing

and ad hoc reviewers of PRCs and members of the Council for Extramural Grants. In rare and

specific instances, discussion of applications with, or in the presence of, non-committee

members can occur after obtaining the written consent of the Program Director. Reviewers must

not discuss reviews with applicants or their mentors in the case of training grants, either before

or after the review meetings. Reviewers also must not communicate the contents of any grant

applications with individuals not associated with the review process. Any materials related to the

review process must be disposed of at the meeting, and all final critiques given to the Program

Director for inclusion in summary statements.

If an allegation of a breach of reviewer confidentiality is brought forward, that allegation

will be communicated to the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research who will determine

if an investigation of that allegation is warranted. The Senior Vice President for Extramural

Research will then follow the appropriate steps as defined in Article III, “Procedures for

Handling Conflicts of Interest and Allegations or Findings of Misconduct in Research and Peer

Review”.

2.2.2 Conflict of Interest:

An objective evaluation of grant proposals is essential to the peer review process. In

achieving this goal, there must be no conflict of interest, apparent conflict of interest or pending

future conflict of interest between any participant in the review process and the applicants or

their collaborators and colleagues. In this setting, reviewers include standing and ad hoc Peer

Review Committee (PRC) members and members of the ACS Council for Extramural Grants

responsible for, and participating in, the review process. There are numerous bases for conflicts

of interest, and these can include: employment, professional relationships, personal relationships,

financial benefit, industry affiliation or other interests. The conflicts can be real or apparent. For

Definitions of Conflict of Interest, refer to Section 1.4.

Reviewers may not make use of any of the contents of a grant for their own research

purposes or those of their collaborators and colleagues. Reviewers must exercise proper due

diligence in investigating and disclosing any potential conflict of interest that might exist

between themselves and an applicant or the applicant’s collaborators or mentors. The Conflict of

Interest Statement attached as EXHIBIT A shall be submitted to the Senior Vice President for

Extramural Research for review at least sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of the Peer Review

cycle.


31

If an allegation of a reviewer conflict of interest is brought forward, that allegation will

be communicated to the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research who will determine if an

investigation of that allegation is warranted. The Senior Vice President for Extramural Research

will then follow the appropriate steps as defined in Article III “Procedures for Handling Conflicts

of Interest and Allegations or Findings of Misconduct”.

Article III

Procedures for Handling Conflicts of Interest and Allegations or Findings of Misconduct:

To ensure the integrity of the peer review process and the integrity of ACS-sponsored

research, it is necessary that the procedures for dealing with allegations of misconduct be clearly

understood by all reviewers and ACS personnel. Procedures for handling allegations of

misconduct by applicants, grantees and reviewers are detailed in the following sections.

3.1 Procedures for Handling an Allegation of Scientific Misconduct by Applicants or

Grantees

3.1.1 Misconduct by Applicants:

In the event that an allegation of scientific misconduct by an applicant is brought forward

to a Program Director or other ACS staff, all effort must be made to investigate the validity of

the allegation while maintaining the confidentiality of the individual making the allegation, the

anonymity of the person against whom the allegation is made, and the integrity of the review

process. The Program Director must immediately inform the Senior Vice President for

Extramural Research of the allegation, and provide all relevant information regarding the

allegation. It is the Senior Vice President’s responsibility to evaluate the likelihood of scientific

misconduct; and, if warranted, it is the Senior Vice President’s responsibility to contact the

appropriate institutional office at the applicant’s institution regarding the allegation. The Senior

Vice President for Extramural Research will then serve as the point of contact between the ACS

and the institutional official[s] handling issues of scientific misconduct.

If determined to be appropriate, the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research will

forward an allegation of misconduct and all pertinent information to the Research Integrity

Officer at the institution sponsoring the grant application in question or at which the alleged

misconduct was carried out. If there is not a Research Integrity Officer, the Dean of the School in

question or its chief academic officer will be contacted. In the instance that the person[s] making

the allegation does not contact the American Cancer Society but raises the allegation of

misconduct with the appropriate institutional official according to their established institutional

procedures, it is the responsibility of the institution to contact the American Cancer Society

regarding the allegation, any investigation of the allegation, and the outcome of that

investigation. All such correspondence will be held in strict confidence, and will not be made

public by the American Cancer Society irrespective of the outcome of the investigation. The

American Cancer Society assumes no responsibility in carrying out the investigation of scientific

misconduct, or in determining an individual’s innocence or guilt of the allegation of misconduct.


32

However, acceptance or non-acceptance of the findings of the institutional investigation is at the

discretion of the Senior Vice President, and additional clarification may be requested.

Allegations of scientific misconduct in a grant application may be made by individuals

who are colleagues, trainees, or reviewers. In the instance that an allegation of misconduct is

made in reference to a grant application, the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research will

contact the institutional official at the sponsoring research institution and seek to follow their

established protocol for investigating such allegations. If an investigation is deemed necessary, it

will be the responsibility of the sponsoring institution to carry out the investigation, to keep the

ACS aware of the progress, and to report the outcome of the investigation to the Senior Vice

President for Extramural Research.

In fairness to the applicant, the review process must continue while the allegation of

misconduct undergoes assessment. Review may continue either in the standing review

committee or under the By-pass to Council review mechanism. Under no circumstance should a

reviewer, Program Director or ACS staff raise the issue of the allegation in a peer review

meeting or meeting of ACS Council for Extramural Grants. If that were to occur, review of that

application could not be completed without bias; and review of the application must therefore be

deferred to ad hoc reviewers or the ACS Council for Extramural Grants. If a reviewer suspects

misconduct, which is discovered at the time of the meeting, it is appropriate to request the Chair

of the PRC or Council take a "break" and discuss the issue privately with the Program Director.

The Program Director will then take the proscribed administrative steps following the

adjournment of the review meeting.

The ACS will complete the process of peer review of the application, but will suspend

any administrative action which would result in funding of the award in question until the

resolution of the investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, the ACS will require the

Office of Research Integrity or comparable entity at the applicant’s sponsoring institution to

provide a written statement detailing the results of the investigation. Failure of the institution to

carry out such an investigation in a timely manner or to provide written results of the

investigation will result in the administrative disapproval of the application. If the applicant is

absolved of any scientific misconduct, the ACS will reinstitute administrative action that can

result in funding for the award if it was approved and is within the pay-line established by ACS

Council for Extramural Grants. In the instance that misconduct has occurred, the ACS will

administratively inactive the application. Also, in the case of a finding of scientific misconduct,

the investigator may no longer be eligible to participate in ACS funded awards, either as

principal investigator, co-investigator, collaborator, mentor or consultant. The investigator also

may not be eligible to serve in any capacity in reviewing ACS grant proposals.

3.1.2 Misconduct by Grantees:

In the event that an allegation of scientific misconduct by a grantee is brought forward to

a Program Director or other ACS staff, all effort must be made to investigate the validity of the

allegation while maintaining the confidentiality of the individual making the allegation and the

anonymity of the person against whom the allegation is made. The Program Director or ACS

staff contacted about the alleged misconduct must immediately inform the Senior Vice President


33

for Extramural Research of the allegation, and provide all relevant information regarding the

allegation. It is the Senior Vice President’s responsibility to evaluate the likelihood of scientific

misconduct; and, if warranted, it is the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research’s

responsibility to contact the appropriate institutional office at the applicant’s institution regarding

the allegation. The Senior Vice President for Extramural Research will then serve as the point of

contact between the ACS and the institutional official[s] handling issues of scientific

misconduct.

If determined to be appropriate, the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research will

forward an allegation of misconduct and all pertinent information to the Research Integrity

Officer at the institution sponsoring the grant in question or at which the alleged misconduct was

carried out. If there is not a Research Integrity Officer, the Dean of the School in question or its

chief academic officer will be contacted. In the instance that the person[s] making the allegation

does not contact the American Cancer Society but raises the allegation of misconduct with the

appropriate institutional official according to their established institutional procedures, it is the

responsibility of the institution to contact the American Cancer Society regarding the allegation,

any investigation of the allegation, and the outcome of that investigation. All such

correspondence will be held in strict confidence, and will not be made public by the American

Cancer Society irrespective of the outcome of the investigation. The American Cancer Society

assumes no responsibility in carrying out the investigation of scientific misconduct, or in

determining an individual’s innocence or guilt of the allegation of misconduct. However, failure

of the institution to immediately notify ACS of an allegation and/or investigation of misconduct,

or to carry out a misconduct investigation in a timely manner, or to provide written results of the

investigation, is in non-conformance with the terms and obligations of the grant and may result

in the suspension of ACS funds for all grants awarded at the institution, to be decided by ACS in

its sole discretion. The American Cancer Society assumes no responsibility in carrying out the

investigation of scientific misconduct, or in determining an individual’s innocence or guilt of the

allegation of misconduct. However, acceptance or non-acceptance of the findings of the

institutional investigation is at the discretion of the Senior Vice President, and additional

clarification may be requested.

If the investigator has an active ACS award, funding of that award will be suspended

until the allegation has either been confirmed or be proven to be erroneous. If the allegation is

proven not to have merit, the award may be reinstituted by ACS at the date of notification of

those findings by the sponsoring institution. If the allegation of misconduct is confirmed, the

award will be terminated and any residual funds, as of the date of notification of the sponsoring

institution of the allegation, must be returned to the ACS. In the case of a finding of scientific

misconduct, the investigator may no longer be eligible to participate in ACS funded awards,

either as principal investigator, co-investigator, collaborator, mentor, or consultant. The

investigator may also not be eligible to serve in any capacity in reviewing ACS grant proposals.

The publication of data serves to further the interests of the scientific pursuit, and

specifically in the case of the ACS, the pursuit of eliminating the burden of cancer. Therefore, it

is incumbent on both the ACS and the scientific community to insure that any instances of

misrepresentation of findings in a scientific study are apparent to the scientific community. To

that end, a finding of falsification or misrepresentation of data in a published forum must be


34

reported to the editor-in-chief of the journal in which such data is reported. It is the responsibility

of the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research to coordinate such notification with the

appropriate sponsoring institutional official according to their established policies and in

conjunction with the policies of the journal. If the sponsoring institution does not have a policy

regarding notification of the journal, then the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research will

notify the editor-in-chief of the journal according to the journal’s established policies.

In the case of findings of falsification or misrepresentation of published data supported

by ACS funds, any active grant[s] held by the responsible individual will be terminated and that

individual may no longer be eligible for ACS funding via any mechanism as a principal

investigator, co-investigator, collaborator, mentor, or consultant. That individual may also not be

eligible to participate in ACS review in any capacity.

3.1.3 Reviewer Misconduct and Conflict of Interest

In the event that an allegation of reviewer misconduct, such as failure to acknowledge a

conflict of interest, is brought forward to a Program Director or other ACS staff, all effort must

be made to investigate the validity of the allegation while maintaining the confidentiality of the

individual making the allegation, the anonymity of the person against whom the allegation is

made, and the integrity of the review process. The Program Director or other ACS staff

contacted regarding the alleged misconduct must immediately inform the Senior Vice President

for Extramural Research of the allegation, and provide all relevant information regarding the

allegation. It is the Senior Vice President for Extramural Research’s responsibility to evaluate the

likelihood of reviewer conflict of interest or misconduct; and, if warranted, it is the Senior Vice

President for Extramural Research’s responsibility to handle the investigation internally or to

inform the appropriate institutional office at the reviewer’s institution about the allegation if

aspects of the reviewer misconduct violate any of the tenets of professional behavior established

by that institution. The Senior Vice President for Extramural Research will then serve as the

point of contact between the ACS and the institutional official handling issues of reviewer

misconduct.

Some elements of reviewer misconduct represent conduct that will only have relevance

for the appropriateness of the reviewer’s role as a member of a peer review committee. For

instance, if there is inappropriate communication between reviewer and applicant or an

applicant’s mentor or colleagues. In a case of this type, all elements of the investigation of the

reviewer misconduct will be handled by ACS personnel at the discretion of the Senior Vice

President for Extramural Research. In cases where a reviewer does not retain the confidentiality

of the applicant’s information or the content of his or her application, and makes that information

available to a third party, it will be at the discretion of the Senior Vice President for Extramural

Research to handle the issue internally at ACS or contact the Office of Research Integrity at the

reviewer’s institution, based upon an initial assessment of whether such conduct violates the

rules of conduct established by that institution. For instance, if there is communication of the

contents of a grant proposal by a reviewer to a competitor in the same field as the applicant, or if

the reviewer makes use of findings or ideas in an application to further his or her own research

interests. In the instance of such an allegation, the American Cancer Society assumes no

responsibility for carrying out the investigation of scientific misconduct, or in determining an


35

individual’s innocence or guilt of the allegation of misconduct. It is the institution’s

responsibility to handle the misconduct according to their established procedures. However,

acceptance or non-acceptance of the findings of the institutional investigation is at the discretion

of the Senior Vice President, and additional clarification may be requested.. In any instance of a

finding of reviewer misconduct, that individual may no longer be eligible to serve in any

capacity in reviewing ACS grant proposals, and may be barred from receiving any ACS grant

funds.

2This section is adapted from “Confidentiality in Peer Review” (section 3.7.1). Pugh MB, ed. American Medical

Association Manual of Style: a guide for authors and editors. 9th ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins;

1997:136-137; and from the American Cancer Society Confidentiality, Non Disclosure Rules and Conflict of

Interest: Information for Reviewers of Grant Applications, Version 6/3/2005


36

APPENDIX B: INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING DELIVERABLES

GRANT ACTIVATION FORMS

ANNUAL PROGRESS/FINAL REPORTS

TRANSFER REQUEST

CHANGE OF INSTITUTION

CHANGE OF TERM EXTENSION OF TERM

GRANT CANCELLATION

CHANGE OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOVR

REPORTS OF EXPENDITURES

The American Cancer Society subscribes to the Post Award Management System provided by

Altum proposalCENTRAL. The system is designed to collect grant post award information from

grantees. Grantees are asked to keep their proposalCENTRAL profile current for the duration of

the grant.

The site is used to upload all requests for grant changes and related documents, and required

reports (deliverables). The site will house all reports, requests and correspondence pertaining to

a grant and is accessible to both ACS program staff and grantees. Grantees may provide access

to others at their institution (e.g. grants officers) using the instructions provided below.

All awardees of an ACS grant will need to upload deliverables, and then send an email

(correspondence) to the Program Director/Program Coordinator informing the program office of

the submitted deliverables. The first deliverable we will be collecting through the Post Award

Management System is the “Activation Form.” For the Activation Form only, please also email

Sherae Gillespie at [email protected] in the Extramural Research Business office

notifying her that you have uploaded your Grant Activation Form.

Uploading an Award Deliverable

- Log onto https://proposalcentral.altum.com

- PI must enter their ProposalCentral username and password in “Applicant Login” to

access their award detail information

- Click on the Awarded link or all Proposal link

- In the Status column, click on the Award Details link

- On the Award Details screen, click on the Deliverables link at the bottom of the screen

The schedule of deliverables due for the award is shown chronologically.

- Go to the Deliverables Templates section at the bottom section of the screen to select the

appropriate template

- Download and save the template to your computer and complete it.

- To Submit Grant Deliverables and other documents, click the Upload link next to the

scheduled deliverable and date

- Click “Browse” button to select the file from your computer.




37

- Click Save to upload the deliverable. You can replace the uploaded document with another

document by clicking Browse….again, selecting a different document from your computer

files and click the Save (Adding description of deliverable is optional)

- Click Close

Send Email (Correspondence) to an ACS Administrator

- To send correspondence to Program Director at the ACS, click the “Correspondence” link

from the Award Details screen

- From this page, you can see any correspondence that has already been sent by clicking on the

Blue link in the Message column

- Use the Respond link to respond directly to a message you have received

- To send a new message, click “Send Correspondence to Program Director” at the top of the

page

- Select the administrator(s) who should receive the correspondence email

- Enter a subject and text for the correspondence in the spaces provided

- Click the “Send Email” button to send the email(s) to the selected administrator

Once an application is awarded it moves from proposalCENTRAL into the Post Award

Management System. People who previously had access to your application in

proposalCENTRAL will not have access to your awarded grant in the Post Award Management

System. You may need to allow access to different users than those listed in proposalCENTRAL

to enable them to upload various reports on your behalf.

To allow to another user access to your award and to submit deliverable

- Person(s) must be a registered user on proposalCENTRAL. If they are not, ask them to

register as a new user at:

https://proposalcentral.altum.com/login.asp

- Once user is registered, from Award Detail screen click Contacts and User Access link

- Click on Manage User Access To Award at the top of the screen

- Enter and confirm email address of person

- Click on Add button

- Change the Permissions role from View to Administrator

- Click on Save button to activate access for new person

To upload other documents such as publications, CV, etc.:

- Click the "Add Deliverable" link on the Award Deliverable screen

- Select "Other" from the drop down menu next to "Deliverable Type" from the pop up screen

- Type in the "Deliverable Description" (i.e. Publications; CV; etc...)

- Click "Browse" to upload their document

- Click "Save"

Additional information and help can be obtained through proposalCENTRAL customer support

desk:

By phone: 1-800-875-2562 toll free By email: [email protected]

https://proposalcentral.altum.com/login.asp


Doctoral Scholarship in Cancer Nursing Instructions July 2017

1

DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP IN CANCER NURSING

INSTRUCTIONS

CONTENTS

A. GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 2

1. ACCESSING THE ACS GRANT APPLICATION SYSTEM ...................................................... 2

2. FORMATTING THE APPLICATION ........................................................................................ 2

3. RESUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION ................................................................................. 3

4. CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION ........................................................................................ 3

5. EXPLANATION OF REQUIRED INFORMATION .................................................................... 3

6. GENERAL AUDIENCE SUMMARY ......................................................................................... 5

7. STRUCTURED TECHNICAL ABSTRACT ............................................................................... 5

8. PROJECT CODING ................................................................................................................ 6

9. ASSURANCES AND CERTIFICATION ................................................................................... 6

10. PI DATA SHEET ..................................................................................................................... 7

11. APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND REQUIRED SIGNATURES ............................................. 7

B. PREPARING THE APPLICATION ........................................................................................... 9

1. APPLICATION TEMPLATES ................................................................................................... 9

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS (PAGE 1.1) ..................................................................................... 10

3. REPLY TO PREVIOUS REVIEW (RESUBMISSIONS ONLY) (PAGE 2.1) ............................ 10

4. PREVIOUS CRITIQUES (RESUBMISSIONS ONLY) ............................................................ 10

5. PROGRAM PLAN — PART I (PAGES 3.1, 4.1, 5.1) ............................................................. 10

6. PROGRAM PLAN — PART II: PROGRAM – ADVISOR INFORMATION (PAGES 6.1, 7.1) . 14

7. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT .......................................................... 14

8. APPLICATION APPENDIX .................................................................................................... 15

APPENDIX A: CLASSIFICATION CATEGORIES - AREAS OF RESEARCH ................................ 16

APPENDIX B: SAMPLE OF GENERAL AUDIENCE SUMMARY .................................................. 29

APPENDIX C: SAMPLE OF STRUCTURED TECHNICAL ABSTRACT ........................................ 30

APPENDIX D: APPLICATION REVIEW CRITERIA....................................................................... 32

APPENDIX E: RECOMMENDATION FORM ................................................................................. 36


2

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. ACCESSING THE ACS GRANT APPLICATION SYSTEM

Access the American Cancer Society Research site at www.cancer.org.

Select “Explore Research” followed by “Apply for a Research Grant” > “Grant Types”.

Select the grant for which you are applying. You are now able to access the electronic grant

application process at proposalCENTRAL.

Once you reach proposalCENTRAL, follow their instructions to login/register and to

complete and submit an application.

The key steps for starting an application are as follows:

Click on “Create New Proposal” to select a grant program and start your grant

application. Locate the appropriate grant and click on “Apply Now” to create a proposal.

Enter a Project Title (unless one is provided) and click SAVE. Once you have clicked on

the “Save” button, the links to the other pages of the application appear in the Proposal

Sections menu. Your saved application is stored under the “Manage Proposals” tab.

Please note: Detailed information is available through tutorials, provided on the

proposalCENTRAL login page.

If you have problems accessing or using the electronic application process, click on “Help” or

contact ALTUM Customer Service at [email protected] or 1-800-875-2562.

2. FORMATTING THE APPLICATION

Applicants must adhere to the following instructions.

Insert your name in the header for each section of the application

Application documents may be single or double-sided.

Type size: Use 12 point Times New Roman or 11-point Arial as the minimum font size for

the text of the application. A 10-point Times New Roman or 9-point Arial font type may be

used for figures, legends, and tables.

Single-spaced text is acceptable, and space between paragraphs is recommended.

Margins: The margins of your text should be at least 0.5 inches all around, unless a form with

different margins is supplied in the Application Templates.

Page numbering:

Cover Pages- The first few pages of the application form are considered cover pages and

are not numbered. The cover pages include the Signature Page, Contact Page, General

Audience Summary and Structure Technical Abstract (if applicable).

Proposal Sections- The proposal sections are listed in the Table of Contents and must be

numbered in the upper right hand corner. Each section should be numbered

independently.

Appendix: The appendix is now part of the electronic application.



3

3. RESUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION

Applications that are not funded may generally be resubmitted twice except for Postdoctoral

Fellowship applications which may only be resubmitted once. For the ACS MRA RFA only one

resubmission is allowed for Pilot Award Proposals and no resubmissions are allowed for

Multidisciplinary Team Award Proposals. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the

appropriate Program Director prior to resubmission to discuss the previous reviews. Please

follow these guidelines when resubmitting an application:

Submit a complete application with a current date—electronic and paper copies.

When resubmitted, the title of the project can be altered if necessary but should be appropriately

marked as a first or second resubmission.

Select the appropriate application number from the list of your prior submissions on

proposalCENTRAL.

The review committee code (e.g. TBE, CCE, CPPB, etc.) for the previous application must

be provided where requested on the title page.

A “Reply to Previous Review”, not to exceed 3 pages, should be placed where indicated in

the Table of Contents of the Application Templates section. It should clearly and briefly

address the points raised in the previous review and direct the reader to the specific sections

of the text where revisions have been made. Revised portions of the text changed in response

to the reviewers’ comments should be highlighted (e.g.: bold type, line in the margin,

underlining, etc.). Copies of the reviewers’ previous critiques should be inserted immediately

after the Reply to Previous Reviews as indicated in the Table of Contents.

4. CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION

Withdrawal of application: Please advise the Society promptly, in writing (or email), should you

decide to withdraw your application for any reason. Your letter (or email) to the Program Director

identified in the application acknowledgment letter should include your name, the application

number, and the reason for withdrawal. If you are withdrawing because you have accepted

funding from another organization, please let us know who will be funding your work.

Change of address: Notify the Society in writing (email) of any changes of address, email or phone

number, following the submission of an application. Include your name and the application number.

We also recommend that you update your information in proposalCENTRAL.

Change of institution: If you are an applicant for an ACS grant and change your institution, contact

the Program Director identified in the acknowledgment email, who will determine whether your

application can be reviewed.

5. EXPLANATION OF REQUIRED INFORMATION

Please note: Not all fields are required for all applications. See mechanism specific

instructions

Project Title: The title should not exceed 75 characters in length (including spaces). Do not use

abbreviations unless absolutely necessary.


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Principal Investigator/Applicant Information: Some (or all) of the required information will

have been automatically filled in from your profile. The information was provided when you

initially registered with proposalCENTRAL and completed the Professional Profile. If any of this

information is not current at the time of submission, you will need to update the Professional

Profile before finalizing this section and submitting the final version of your application. Pay

particular attention to your contact information as all notifications to you will be sent using this

information. Please keep contact information up to date.

Key Personnel: In addition to the Principal Investigator, Key Personnel (e.g. Collaborators) are

defined as individuals who will contribute to the scientific development or execution of the

project in a substantive, measurable way whether or not salaries are requested. Typically, these

individuals have doctoral or professional degrees although individuals at the masters or

baccalaureate level can be included if their contribution meets the above definition of Key

Personnel.

Citizenship Status: An appropriate selection must be made in the Professional Profile. Indicate

your current citizenship status. You must provide your country of citizenship.

Justification of Eligibility: Applicants for American Cancer Society Extramural Grants must

satisfy the eligibility requirements defined from each application type. Please indicate the month

and year when your last degree was conferred, as well as the month and year of your first

independent faculty (or equivalent) position where requested. If your case was evaluated by the

American Cancer Society eligibility committee, include a copy of the letter the appendix, list it in

the table of contents, and refer to it in the justification space provided.

Justification of Designation “Priority Focus in Health Equity Research”: Indicate on the title

page of the application, “Health Equity” if the proposed study falls into the Priority Focus

(Health Equity Research) in the Cancer Control and Prevention Research Program.

Space: If appropriate, indicate the approximate area of committed, independent research space

provided by your institution to support your research program, as well as the name of the

department chair responsible for verification of this research space. You must insert a value on

the electronic form, even if you need to enter a 0 (zero).

Institutional Official: In addition to the name and address of the official authorized to sign for

the institution, include an address for mailing checks. Institutional officials should sign the front

page. Original signatures are not required; electronic signatures are acceptable.

Department Chair: Indicate name, department, and email address of the department chair.

Department chairs should sign the front page to affirm the title of investigator and the committed

resources.

Primary Mentor: Fill out all of the required fields for your mentor information.

Additional Mentor (s): Fill in this section with the same required information as for your

primary mentor (when appropriate).


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6. GENERAL AUDIENCE SUMMARY

The general audience summary is a very important part of the application and is intended to

provide a clear overview of the proposed research to people who are not trained in the sciences

but who are interested in cancer research. These include stakeholders, ACS staff members,

potential donors and the general public. Stakeholders are individuals without formal scientific

or medical training who have a strong personal interest in the prevention and control of cancer.

They are included as full voting members of all peer review panels. The Stakeholder evaluation

of the general audience summary becomes an important part of the overall review of the

application by the peer review committee since their primary focus is on how the proposed work

will be of value to cancer patients and their families.

ACS staff members who work with major donors also use these summaries to identify projects

appropriate to the interests of donors who wish to support specific areas of cancer research.

Furthermore, summaries of all grants made by the Society are made available to the general

public. ACS staff members with responsibility for communicating ACS research to local media

may also use the summaries to describe the research funded in a particular region of the country.

The general audience summary must not duplicate the structured technical abstract. It should be

written in a way that makes the project easily understood by the audience described above

without scientific jargon. See the Samples of General Audience Summaries in the Appendix

for examples of a properly constructed summary. This summary should describe the

background to the research, the questions to be asked, and the information to be obtained. The

use of symbols and Greek characters should be avoided for the general audience; if they must be

used, they have to be spelled out since they will not appear as characters in the text.

This form is limited to 3,000 characters, including spaces and will truncate at that point.

Characters in excess of the limit are not transmitted with the application resulting in an

incomplete summary. Failure to submit this correctly may result in the disqualification of your

application.

If this application is funded, this description will become public information. Therefore, do not

include proprietary/confidential information.

7. STRUCTURED TECHNICAL ABSTRACT

Please note: not all applications require a structured technical abstract.

The structured technical abstract is a clear and concise summary of the proposed research or

scholarly project for general scientific audiences.

Please use the outline below. See the Appendix for an example of a structured technical abstract.

Background: Provide a brief statement of the ideas and reasoning behind the proposed

work.

Objective/hypothesis: State the objective/hypothesis to be tested. Cite evidence or provide

a rationale that supports it.


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Specific aims: Concisely state the specific aims of the study.

Study design: Briefly describe the study design, emphasizing those elements you consider

most relevant to assignment of the proposal for peer review.

This form is limited to 3,000 characters, including spaces and will truncate at that point.

Characters in excess of the limit are not transmitted with the application resulting in an

incomplete summary. Please submit a complete Structured Technical Abstract within the

character limit. Failure to submit this correctly may result in the disqualification of your

application.

8. PROJECT CODING

Please note: not all applications require project coding. Red asterisks indicate required fields.

Submit this section electronically only.

Donors frequently have an interest in funding particular types of cancer research. Thus, Areas of

Research (Common Scientific Outline –CSO) and Types of Cancer must be selected for these

summaries to be presented to donors for special funding opportunities. See the Areas of

Research in the Appendix for filling out the forms. Please note that in completing the Areas of

Research section, appropriate items may also include those listed under Resources and

Infrastructure Related to [specific area]. See the Appendix for specific terms and

examples.

The information requested is not part of the application used by the Peer Review Committee for

scientific review, and should not be submitted with your paper copy. However, the information

is important and assists the Society in communication to the public about its portfolio of

applications and grants.

9. ASSURANCES AND CERTIFICATION

All activities involving human subjects or vertebrate animals must be approved by an appropriate

institutional committee before the application will be funded by the American Cancer Society.

Furthermore, compliance with current US Department of Health and Human Services and ACS

guidelines for conflict of interest, recombinant DNA, and scientific misconduct is required. The

assurances/certifications are made and verified by the signature of the institutional official

signing the application.

Vertebrate animals. Every proposed research project involving vertebrate animals must be

approved by an appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), in

accordance with Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,

before the application will be funded by the American Cancer Society. Enter the date of the

most recent IACUC approval in the space provided.

All research supported by the American Cancer Society (including subcontracted activities)

involving vertebrate animals must be conducted at performance sites which are covered under an


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approved Animal Welfare Assurance. It is the responsibility of the institution to immediately

report to ACS any action including recertification or loss of IACUC approval which may

occur during the term of any award that is pertinent to the work described in the grant

application.

Human Subjects. All proposed research projects involving human subjects must be approved

by the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB).

The institution must have received approval from the Office for Human Research Protections

(OHRP) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Enter the institution's

Assurance of Compliance number(s) in the space provided. Copies of the DHHS policy and

information regarding the assured status and assurance numbers of institutions may be obtained

from OHRP. The definitions and further sources of clarification for all of these assurances are

found in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (Revised 12/03), www.grants.nih.gov/grants/policy, or

the NIH Office of Extramural Research.

If institutional review of human subjects (IRB certification) or vertebrate animal use (IACUC

certification) has not been completed before the submission date of the application, you must

indicate that the approval is pending on the certification page and give the appropriate

institutional reference numbers if available. Certification of the institutional committee review,

clearly labeled with the assigned American Cancer Society application number, must be

received prior to activation of a grant for funding. Failure to supply the American Cancer

Society with completed IRB and/or IACUC certifications prior to the approved start of funding

will result in withholding of payments and may result in cancellation of funding.

Please note: applications for the Institutional Research Grant and certain Health Professional

Training Grants do not require submission of IRB and IACUC certifications. Institutions must,

however, be in compliance with the requirements noted above in order to use American Cancer

Society grant funding for activities involving human subjects or vertebrate animals.

For funded grants, it is the responsibility of the institution to immediately report to ACS

any action including recertification or loss of IRB approval which may occur during the

term of the award that is related to the work described in the grant application.

10. PI DATA SHEET

Submit this section electronically only.

The requested information is for statistical purposes only and is not part of the application used

by the Peer Review Committee for scientific review. This section will not print with the cover

pages and does not need to be submitted with your paper copy.

11. APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND REQUIRED SIGNATURES

Applications must be submitted in two formats: an electronic version and one paper copy.

A. SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC APPLICATION


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All application attachments including the appendix must be uploaded as .pdf

documents. See proposalCENTRAL FAQ or contact support at 1-800-875-2562 if you need

assistance.

Validate the application on proposalCENTRAL. This is an essential step. An application

that has not been validated cannot be submitted.

Print application via proposalCENTRAL. To do so, choose “Print” on the menu and select

“Print Signature Pages and Attached PDF Files”. Do not print cover pages for an

application that has not been validated.

If you wish, print and retain for your files the paper copies of the Demographic and Research

Promotion Information and the Project Coding sections. Do not submit these sections in the

paper copy of your application.

Please collect all required signatures on the paper copy before submitting. Original signatures

are not required; electronic signatures are acceptable. Please note, you do not upload the

signed copy of the front page.; it is to be submitted with the paper copy

If any modifications were made during the signature process, make certain that all sections of

the electronic version are revised to match the paper copy that is being submitted.

If you have technical questions regarding the electronic application process, feel free to

contact Altum at [email protected] or 1-800-875-2562.

Submission of the electronic version of application should be done after your institution has

prepared the application for mailing. You have until 5:00 PM Eastern time on the deadline

date to complete the electronic submission. Note that the appendix materials are now

submitted electronically. Paper copies will no longer be provided to reviewers so any

appendix materials must be uploaded to proposalCENTRAL to be considered during the

review process.

The electronic applications must be submitted at the proposalCENTRAL website by close of

business (5:00 PM EST) on the specified deadline date. For the convenience of the applicant,

a paper copy is due one day after submission of the electronic copy. If the deadline falls on

a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted the following business day.

Please note: You will not be able to make any changes to the forms or upload any

modifications to the files after submission.

B. ASSEMBLY AND SUBMISSION OF PAPER COPY

The paper copy of the application must carry the signatures (front page) and contact information

(second page) for

The Applicant

The Institutional Signing Official

The Department Head

See program specific instructions for additional required signatures.



9

A single paper copy of the application must be received by the American Cancer Society

Corporate Center no later than 5:00 PM Eastern time on the next business day following

the deadline date for the electronic submission.

The paper copy must be assembled as described below. To reduce the chance of losing an

application, we urge institutions to mail only one application per package. If more than one

application is included in a package, provide a bright-colored cover sheet listing the applications

enclosed and stating in ½ inch or larger lettering "MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS ENCLOSED."

The application should be held together with a rubber band or binder clips. Please do not staple.

Send the complete application package to:

The American Cancer Society

Extramural Research Department

250 Williams Street NW, 6th Floor

Atlanta, GA 30303-1002

404-329-7558

B. PREPARING THE APPLICATION

COVER PAGES

The application cover pages include the Signature Page with Assurances and Certifications,

Contact Page, General Audience Summary and Structured Technical Abstract. Most of the

information that is collected online at proposalCENTRAL appears on the cover pages. This

includes applicant contact information and eligibility information, for example, citizenship.

IMPORTANT: the applicant’s mailing address must appear in the box with the headings

“APPLICANT CURRENT INSTITUTION” and “MAILING ADDRESS.” This is drawn from

the information provided in the Professional Profile section of proposalCENTRAL. When

completing the Professional Profile, applicants must select a nursing school for their proposed

graduate study regardless of their status (enrolled, accepted or applying student.) In the fields

below this, the preferred mailing address should be inserted.

Additional Signatures Both the Department Head and the Faculty Advisor are required to sign

in the section “Additional Signatures.”

Structured Technical Abstract If you are submitting RESEARCH PLAN A, complete this

section by typing “Not Applicable” in the space provided. If you are submitting RESEARCH

PLAN B, you are required to provide a structured technical abstract. Refer to the guidelines in

Part A. Section 8 of these instructions.

1. APPLICATION TEMPLATES

An application consists of several sections that must be uploaded before the online application is

submitted. Templates for these sections are available once an application is started on

proposalCENTRAL. The templates must be downloaded to a computer and completed offline

using word processing software. Detailed below are the instructions for completing the

individual sections. The sections must be converted into .pdf documents before being uploaded.

Please see proposalCENTRAL’s FAQ or call support at 1-800-875-2562 if you need assistance.


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2. TABLE OF CONTENTS (PAGE 1.1)

The Table of Contents is pre-numbered. Complete the Table by adding the Appendix

information. Note: there is no overall page limit for the completed application.

3. REPLY TO PREVIOUS REVIEW (RESUBMISSIONS ONLY) (PAGE 2.1)

IF THE APPLICATION IS A NEW SUBMISSION, upload the provided template with “Not

Applicable” in the body.

IF THE APPLICATION IS A RESUBMISSION, it must be identified as such on the cover page.

This section must be completed and should clearly and briefly address the points raised in the

previous reviews and direct the reader to the specific sections where text revisions have been

made. Do not exceed three pages. Text changed in response to reviewers’ comments should be

identifiable in the revised application (e.g. bold type, line in the margin, underlining, etc).

4. PREVIOUS CRITIQUES (RESUBMISSIONS ONLY)

Electronic copies of the critiques for your previous submission can be downloaded from your

“Submitted” page on proposalCENTRAL. Select the link to “View Review Info” then “View

Summary Statement” and save the document to your computer. Upload the document to your

new application with the other proposal sections.

5. PROGRAM PLAN — PART I (PAGES 3.1, 4.1, 5.1)

(To be completed by the applicant)

This section consists of Parts A, B, C, D, and E. Complete items Part A, B, and C of the

application by providing the information requested. Please note that specific instructions for

Parts D and E appear below.

PART D. Program Progression Time Line (PAGE 4.1). Provide all dates, even if some are

still to be determined.

PART E. Research Plan A or B (PAGE 5.1) Complete the following section of the application

by providing the information requested below on the template entitled “Research Plan” and using

continuation pages as necessary. Use the subheadings as identified under Research Plan A or B,

and adjust the page heading to indicate which plan you are submitting. The total length of this

section must be no longer than five pages for Research Plan A and no longer than seven pages

for Research Plan B. This page limit does not include the references, which should be placed at

the end of the narrative. References should be cited in ICMJE Recommendations format

(Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in

Medical Journals found at http://www.icmje.org/recommendations). Refer to Formatting the

Application in the Instructions - Part A, for information about font, type size, line spacing, etc.

Please note that the reviewers will consider spelling and grammar as part of their evaluation

and suggest that applications be proofread carefully.

Instructions for Writing Research Plan A or B. Based on your current status in the doctoral

program, complete Part A or Part B as outlined below. If necessary to clarify your choice of

Research Plan A or B, explicitly state how long before you expect to submit your

dissertation proposal for review. The reviewers will expect a research plan that is consistent


11

with your progress toward beginning your dissertation research. An applicant who is uncertain

about which Research Plan to complete should consult with the American Cancer Society

Program Director.

Research Plan A

Research Plan A is for individuals who are about to or who have recently entered doctoral

study. Research Plan A is NOT for people who have started to write the formal dissertation. You

may have sections of the proposal completed based on course work or meetings with your

faculty advisor; however, the dissertation is still in the early formative stages of development.

Individuals completing this section are typically in the first or second year of their PhD program.

Project Narrative for Research Plan A

Topic

Be specific in describing the topic or problem that you would like to study and how you

came to the idea, e.g., from clinical practice, a gap in the literature, course work readings

and papers, your advisor, work on a research project, or some combination of factors.

Review of Literature

Identify the databases you searched, e.g., MEDLINE, PubMed, PsychInfo, ASCO

Abstracts, National Library of Medicine Gateway. Name the concepts, key words, or

MESH terms that resulted in the most productive searches.

Provide a critical review of the literature that provides strong support for the research topic

or problem.

Focus the review on what is known about your topic, what remains unknown, the evidence

that is conflicting/mixed in support of your topic, and how your study will address a gap

and advance cancer nursing knowledge.

Contribution to the Field

Describe the dominant contribution of your nursing research study to the health of persons

with cancer or those at risk for cancer, with an emphasis on one of the following areas:

practice; education; basic, clinical, or translational research; public policy; survivorship

issues; cancer control; or another relevant contribution.

Describe where your dissertation fits in your overall critical research map or anticipated

research trajectory, i.e., how does it build on your previous research experiences, if any;

how does it provide a critical step to get you from point A to B; and how will it prepare you

to further your research in this area of inquiry?

Scientific Expertise of Faculty and Resources to Support the Dissertation

Describe the cancer nursing faculty and other faculty available to assist and guide you in

the development of your dissertation. Identify those individuals that you are considering or

have already agreed to serve on your committee. Provide their credentials, areas of

expertise as related to the proposed research, and employers. Students in distance degree


12

programs should identify the individuals in their employing institution or community who

will serve as adjunct faculty or members of the committee and tell how they will help you

move your study forward.

Briefly describe the facilities and institutional resources available for your dissertation, e.g.,

clinical materials/patients, required laboratory equipment and bench space, office space for

interviews, computers for data entry and analysis, software, transcription assistance, etc.

References (No page limit)

Research Plan B

Research Plan B is for individuals who are at a more advanced stage of dissertation work, e.g.,

coursework is soon to be or actually completed and an initial draft of the dissertation proposal is

about to be written or already written, or the dissertation is more polished and ready for proposal

defense, or the defense is completed. We encourage you to apply for a scholarship before the

dissertation committee formally approves the proposal so your chair and committee members can

consider the constructive comments of the ACS reviewers. Individuals completing this section

would typically be finished with their coursework and in the third or fourth year of their PhD

program. However, applicants who are at an earlier stage in their academic program, but who

have a firm idea about what their dissertation research topic will be and how they will study it,

can complete Plan B as a means to propel their work forward.

Project Narrative for Research Plan B

Title and Purpose of Study

State the title and purpose of the study.

Identify the research questions, hypotheses, specific aims, and/or exploratory aims for the

dissertation.

Identify if the dissertation is your own independent work, a study that is a supplemental

aim or extension of a faculty member’s funded/unfunded research, or a secondary

analysis of existing data and the source/ownership of these data. If your proposal relates

to another research project, provide a succinct description of the parent or primary study

(plus funding source if any, grant number, name of principal investigator) that makes

clear to the review committee the distinction between the studies.


Identify the databases you searched, e.g., MEDLINE, PubMed, PsychInfo, ASCO

Abstracts, National Library of Medicine Gateway. Name the concepts, key words, or

MESH terms that resulted in the most productive searches.

Provide a critical review of the literature that provides strong support for the research topic

or problem.


13

Focus the review on what is known about your topic, what remains unknown, the evidence

that is conflicting/mixed in support of your topic, and how your study will address a gap

and advance cancer nursing knowledge.


Describe the dominant contribution of your nursing research study to the health of persons

with cancer or those at risk for cancer, with an emphasis on one of the following areas:

practice; education; basic, clinical, or translational research; public policy; survivorship

issues; cancer control; or another relevant contribution.

Describe where your dissertation fits in your overall critical research map or anticipated

research trajectory, i.e., how does it build on your previous research experiences, if any,

how does it provide a critical step to get you from point A to B, and how will it prepare you

to further your research in this area of inquiry?

Preliminary Work

Briefly describe any preliminary work conducted by you and what each study contributes

to the dissertation, e.g., gathered preliminary data on effect size, developed an instrument,

established recruitment and retention strategies, maximized minority enrollment, learned a

new statistical analysis procedure, piloted an intervention, conducted descriptive research

such as interviews or a survey, etc.

Identify if you performed these preliminary studies independently, as a course assignment,

and/or if you conducted these activities while working on faculty research.

Research Design and Methods

Identify the research design.

Describe the sample or target population including any exclusion and inclusion criteria.

Provide support for the expectation that the sample can be obtained, for example, a letter of

support for the study from a person who can authorize access to potential participants at a

proposed study site.

Describe the methodology for enrolling the sample, procedures for implementing the study,

the use of intervention and control groups (if applicable), and the analysis plan for each

research question or specific aim/hypothesis.

Provide reliability and validity information for all standardized questionnaires or the

methodology and analysis to be used to examine the psychometric properties of

instruments.

If conducting an intervention trial, describe any threats to the internal validity of the

intervention and efforts to control or minimize these threats such as the plan for training

and supervising personnel, and monitoring dose and intervention fidelity.


14

If conducting a group comparison study, provide a power analysis to justify the sample size

or describe why a power analysis is not included.

Scientific Expertise of Dissertation Committee and Resources to Support the Dissertation

Describe the cancer nursing faculty and other cancer faculty available to assist and guide

you in your dissertation. Identify those individuals that you are considering or have already

agreed to serve on your committee. Name the dissertation chair, committee members,

credentials, areas of expertise as related to the proposed research, and employers. Students

in distance degree programs should identify the people in their employing institution or

community who will serve as adjunct faculty or members of the committee and tell how

they will help you move your study forward

Briefly describe the facilities and institutional resources available for your dissertation, e.g.,

clinical materials/patients, laboratory equipment and bench space, office space for

interviews, computers for data entry and analysis, software, transcription assistance, etc.

For requisite facility and university resources and those that must be allocated, provide a

letter of support saying you will have access.

6. PROGRAM PLAN — PART II: PROGRAM – ADVISOR INFORMATION (PAGES 6.1, 7.1)

(To be completed by the faculty advisor/dissertation chair)

Complete items A - D of the application. Up to four pages may be used. Please note that

specific instructions for the Biographical Information form(s) appear below.

Biographical Information for Faculty Advisor/Dissertation Chair (PAGE 7.1)

The application must include condensed curriculum (curricula) vitae for the faculty advisor

and/or dissertation chair. (If the dissertation chair is not the faculty advisor, this form must be

submitted for both the chair and the advisor. The curricula vitae must not exceed five pages;

only the PHS biosketch form will be accepted instead of the form provided online. Those

applications that do not adhere to format guidelines will be automatically rejected.

7. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT

Request recommendations from two (2) individuals (not the faculty advisor or dissertation chair)

who will respond before October 15. These statements should be solicited from individuals who

can describe the applicant’s potential as a scientist, and who have sufficient research background

and experience to do so.

The recommenders must use the forms provided electronically on proposalCENTRAL (an

example is provided in the Appendix). Provide the names and email addresses of the persons

you ask to provide recommendations in the Letter of Recommendations section of the online

application. This allows proposalCENTRAL to email those persons a link to the website and

give them access to the site to upload their statement. There are specific instructions on the site

for you and your recommenders. Your application cannot be submitted until these letters have

been provided on proposalCENTRAL.


15

Letters of Support: a letter is also needed from any individual who is serving as a local

resource for an applicant from a distance learning program. Please include in the Application

Appendix (see below).

8. APPLICATION APPENDIX

In addition to the application templates, other key documents may be uploaded and submitted as

part of the application. However, applicants are urged to keep this section as brief as possible.

Appended materials may include:

Letters of support from local mentors, consultants or collaborators

Recent reprints or preprints

CDs/DVDs, mp4 Files

Clinical Protocols

It is not necessary to number the pages of the appendix, but please list by categories (i.e., reprints,

preprints, etc.) in the Table of Contents of the application.


16

APPENDIX A: CLASSIFICATION CATEGORIES - AREAS OF RESEARCH

The areas of research are based on seven broad categories called the Common Scientific Outline

(CSO) developed by the International Cancer Research Partnership (ICRP):

1. Biology

2. Etiology

3. Prevention

4. Early Detection, Diagnosis and Prognosis

5. Treatment

6. Cancer Control, Survivorship and Outcomes Research

Applicants are asked to select from the following codes:

1 – BIOLOGY

Research included in this category looks at the biology of how cancer starts and progresses as

well as normal biology relevant to these processes.

1.1 Normal Functioning

Examples of science that would fit:

Developmental biology (from conception to adulthood) and the biology of aging

Normal functioning of genes, including their identification and expression, and the

normal function of gene products, such as hormones and growth factors

Normal formation of the extracellular matrix

Normal cell-to-cell interactions

Normal functioning of apoptopic pathways

Characterization of pluripotent progenitor cells (e.g., normal stem cells)

1.2 Cancer Initiation: Alterations in Chromosomes


Abnormal chromosome number

Aberration in chromosomes and genes (e.g., in chronic myelogenous leukemia)

Damage to chromosomes and mutation in genes

Failures in DNA repair

Aberrant gene expression

Epigenetics

Genes and proteins involved in aberrant cell cycles

1.3 Cancer Initiation: Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressor Genes



17

Genes and signals involved in growth stimulation or repression, including oncogenes

(Ras, etc.), and tumor suppressor genes (p53, etc.)

Effects of hormones and growth factors and their receptors such as estrogens, androgens,

TGF-beta, GM-CSF, etc.

Research into the biology of stem cell tumour initiation

1.4 Cancer Progression and Metastasis


Latency, promotion, and regression

Expansion of malignant cells

Interaction of malignant cells with the immune system or extracellular matrix

Cell mobility, including detachment, motility, and migration in the circulation

Invasion

Malignant cells in the circulation, including penetration of the vascular system and

extrasavation

Systemic and cellular effects of malignancy

Tumor angiogenesis and growth of metastases

Role of hormone or growth factor dependence/independence in cancer progression

Research into cancer stem cells supporting or maintaining cancer progression

1.5 Resources and Infrastructure


Informatics and informatics networks

Specimen resources

Epidemiological resources pertaining to biology

Reagents, chemical standards

Development and characterization of new model systems for biology, distribution of

models to scientific community or research into novel ways of applying model systems,

including but not limited to computer-simulation systems, software development, in

vitro/cell culture models, organ/tissue models or animal model systems. Guidance note:

this should only be used where the focus of the award is creating a model. If it is only a

tool or a methodology, code to the research instead.

Education and training of investigators at all levels (including clinicians and other health

professionals), such as participation in training workshops, conferences, advanced

research technique courses, and Master's course attendance. This does not include longer-

term research-based training, such as Ph.D. or post-doctoral fellowships.


18

2 – ETIOLOGY

Research included in this category aims to identify the causes or origins of cancer - genetic,

environmental, and lifestyle, and the interactions between these factors.

2.1 Exogenous Factors in the Origin and Cause of Cancer


Research into the role of lifestyle factors such as smoking, chewing tobacco, alcohol

consumption, parity, diet, sunbathing, and exercise in the origin and cause of cancer or

increasing the risk of cancer

Research into the social determinants of cancer such as crime, housing dilapidation,

neighbourhood level, socioeconomic status and services and their relationship to cancer

incidence and mortality, etc.

Studies on the effect(s) of nutrients or nutritional status on cancer incidence

Development, characterization, validation, and use of dietary/nutritional assessment

instruments in epidemiological studies and to evaluate cancer risk

Environmental and occupational exposures such as radiation, second-hand smoke, radon,

asbestos, organic vapors, pesticides, and other chemical or physical agents

Infectious agents associated with cancer etiology, including viruses (Human Papilloma

Virus-HPV, etc.) and bacteria (helicobacter pylori, etc.)

Viral oncogenes and viral regulatory genes associated with cancer causation

Contextual Factors Contributing to Cancer Incidence (e.g., race/ethnicity, spcioeconomic

status, neighborhood factors, community factors, built environment).

2.2 Endogenous Factors in the Origin and Cause of Cancer


Free radicals such as superoxide and hydroxide radicals

Identification /confirmation of genes suspected of being mechanistically involved in

familial cancer syndromes; for example, BRCA1, Ataxia Telangiectasia, and APC

Identification/confirmation of genes suspected or known to be involved in ""sporadic""

cancer events; for example, polymorphisms and/or mutations that may affect carcinogen

metabolism (e.g., CYP, NAT, glutathione transferase, etc.)

Investigating a role for stem cells in the etiology of tumours

2.3 Interactions of Genes and/or Genetic Polymorphisms with Exogenous and/or

Endogenous Factors


Gene-environment interactions

Interactions of genes with lifestyle factors, environmental, and/or occupational exposures

such as variations in carcinogen metabolism associated with genetic polymorphisms

Interactions of genes and endogenous factors such as DNA repair deficiencies and

endogenous DNA damaging agents such as oxygen radicals or exogenous radiation

exposure


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2.4 Resources and Infrastructure Related to Etiology


Informatics and informatics networks; for example, patient databanks

Specimen resources (serum, tissue, etc.)

Reagents and chemical standards

Epidemiological resources pertaining to etiology

Statistical methodology or biostatistical methods

Centers, consortia, and/or networks

Development, characterization and validation of new model systems for etiology,

distribution of models to the scientific community or research into novel ways of

applying model systems, including but not limited to computer-simulation systems,

software development, in vitro/cell culture models, organ/tissue models or animal model

systems. Guidance note: this should only be used where the focus of the award is creating

a model. If it is only a tool or a methodology, code to the research instead.



research technique courses, and Master's course attendance. This does not include longer

term research based training, such as Ph.D. or post-doctoral fellowships.

3 – PREVENTION

Research included in this category looks at identifying individual and population-based

primary prevention interventions, which reduce cancer risk by reducing exposure to cancer

risks and increasing protective factors.

3.1 Interventions to Prevent Cancer: Personal Behaviors (Non-Dietary) that Affect Cancer

Risk


Research on determinants of personal behaviors, such as physical activity, sun exposure,

and tobacco use, known to affect cancer risk and interventions (including educational and

behavioral interventions directed at individuals as well as population-based interventions

including social marketing campaigns, environmental supports, and regulatory, policy

and legislative changes) to change determinants

Directed education to specified populations of patients, health care providers, and at-risk

groups about cancer risk and prevention and relevant interventions with the intent of

promoting increased awareness and behavioural change. This includes communication of

lifestyle models that reduce cancer risk, such as communicating smoking and tobacco

cessation interventions


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3.2 Dietary Interventions to Reduce Cancer Risk and Nutritional Science in Cancer

Prevention


Quantification of nutrients, micronutrients, and purified nutritional compounds in cancer

prevention studies

Development, characterization, validation, and use of dietary/nutritional assessment

instruments to evaluate cancer prevention interventions

Research on determinants of dietary behavior and interventions to change diet (including

educational and behavioral interventions directed at individuals as well as population-

based interventions including social marketing campaigns, environmental supports, and

regulatory and legislative changes) to change diet

Education of patients, health care providers, at-risk populations, and the general

population about cancer risk and diet

Communicating cancer risk of diet to underserved populations, at-risk populations, and

the general public

Communication of nutritional interventions that reduce cancer risk"

3.3 Chemoprevention


Chemopreventive agents and their discovery, mechanism of action, development, testing

in model systems, and clinical testing

3.4 Vaccines


Vaccines for prevention, their discovery, mechanism of action, development, testing in

model systems, and clinical testing (e.g., HPV vaccines)

Guidance note: only preventive/prophylactic vaccine research should be included here.

Vaccines for the treatment of cancer should be coded to 5.3 or 5.4, depending on the

phase of development.

3.5 Complementary and Alternative Prevention Approaches


Discovery, development, and testing of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM)

approaches or other primary prevention interventions that are not widely used in

conventional medicine or are being applied in different ways as compared to

conventional medical uses

Mind and body medicine (e.g., meditation, acupuncture, hypnotherapy), manipulative and

body-based practices (e.g., spinal manipulation, massage therapy), and other practices

(e.g., light therapy, traditional healing) used as a preventive measure.


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3.6 Resources and Infrastructure Related to Prevention




Epidemiological resources pertaining to prevention

Clinical trials infrastructure



Development and characterization of new model systems for prevention, distribution of










4 – EARLY DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND PROGNOSIS

Research included in this category focuses on identifying and testing cancer markers and

imaging methods that are helpful in detecting and/or diagnosing cancer as well as predicting

the outcome or chance of recurrence or to support treatment decision making in

stratified/personalised medicine.

4.1 Technology Development and/or Marker Discovery


Discovery or identification and characterization of markers (e.g., proteins, genes,

epigenetic), and/or technologies (such as fluorescence, nanotechnology, etc.) that are

potential candidates for use in cancer detection, staging, diagnosis, and/or prognosis

Use of proteomics, genomics, expression assays, or other technologies in the discovery or

identification of markers

Defining molecular signatures of cancer cells, including cancer stem cells (e.g., for the

purposes of diagnosis/prognosis and to enable treatment decision planning in

personalized/stratified/precision medicine)

4.2 Technology and/or Marker Evaluation With Respect to Fundamental Parameters of

Method


Development, refinement, and preliminary evaluation (e.g., animal trials, preclinical, and

Phase I human trials) of identified markers or technologies such as genetic/protein


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biomarkers (prospective or retrospective) or imaging methods (optical probes, PET, MRI,

etc.)

Preliminary evaluation with respect to laboratory sensitivity, laboratory specificity,

reproducibility, and accuracy

Retrospective studies of existing sample collections and evaluation of markers in

ancillary studies

Research into mechanisms assessing tumor response to therapy at a molecular or cellular

level

4.3 Technology and/or Marker Testing in a Clinical Setting


Evaluation of clinical sensitivity, clinical specificity, and predictive value (Phase II or III

clinical trials)

Quality assurance and quality control

Inter- and intra-laboratory reproducibility

Testing of the method with respect to effects on morbidity and/or mortality

Study of screening methods, including compliance, acceptability to potential screenees,

and receiver-operator characteristics. Includes education, communication, behavioral and

complementary/alternative approaches to improve compliance, acceptability or to reduce

anxiety/discomfort.

Research into improvements in techniques to assess clinical response to therapy

4.4 Resources and Infrastructure Related to Detection, Diagnosis, or Prognosis



Specimen resources (serum, tissue, images, etc.)

Clinical trials infrastructure

Epidemiological resources pertaining to risk assessment, detection, diagnosis, or

prognosis



Development, characterization and validation of new model systems for detection,

diagnosis or prognosis, distribution of models to the scientific community or research

into novel ways of applying model systems, including but not limited to computer-

simulation systems, software development, in vitro/cell culture models, organ/tissue

models or animal model systems. Guidance note: this should only be used where the

focus of the award is creating a model. If it is only a tool or a methodology, code to the

research instead.




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5 – TREATMENT

Research included in this category focuses on identifying and testing treatments administered

locally (such as radiotherapy and surgery) and systemically (treatments like chemotherapy

which are administered throughout the body) as well as non-traditional

(complementary/alternative) treatments (such as supplements, herbs). Research into the

prevention of recurrence and treatment of metastases are also included here.

5.1 Localized Therapies - Discovery and Development


Discovery and development of treatments administered locally that target the organ

and/or neighboring tissue directly, including but not limited to surgical interventions,

cryotherapy, local/regional hyperthermia, high-intensity, focused ultrasound,

radiotherapy, and brachytherapy

Therapies with a component administered systemically but that act locally (e.g.,

photodynamic therapy, radioimmunotherapy and radiosensitizers)

Development of methods of localized drug delivery

Research into the development of localized therapies to prevent recurrence

Guidance note: localized therapies are considered to be localized when the site of action

is the same as the site of administration.

5.2 Localized Therapies - Clinical Applications


Clinical testing and application of treatments administered locally that target the organ

and/or neighboring tissue directly, including but not limited to surgical interventions,

cryotherapy, local/regional hyperthermia, radiotherapy, and brachytherapy.

Clinical testing and application of therapies with a component administered systemically

but that act locally (e.g., photodynamic therapy and radiosensitizers)

Phase I, II, or III clinical trials of promising therapies that are administered locally

Side effects, toxicity, and pharmacodynamics

Clinical testing of localized therapies to prevent recurrence and prevent and treat

metastases

Guidance note: localized therapies are considered to be localized when the site of action

is the same as the site of administration.

5.3 Systemic Therapies - Discovery and Development


Discovery and development of treatments administered systemically such as cytotoxic or

hormonal agents, novel systemic therapies such as immunologically directed therapies

(treatment vaccines, antibodies), gene therapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, apoptosis


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inhibitors, whole body hyperthermia, bone marrow/stem cell transplantation,

differentiating agents, adjuvant and neo-adjuvant treatments

Identifying mechanisms of action of existing cancer drugs and novel drug targets,

including cancer stem cells for the purposes of treatment/identifying drug targets

Drug discovery and development, including drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics,

pharmacodynamics, combinatorial chemical synthesis, drug screening, development of

high throughput assays, and testing in model systems, including that which may aid

treatment planning in stratified/personalised medicine

Investigating the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance (including the role of cancer

stem cells) and pre-clinical evaluation of therapies to circumvent resistance

Development of methods of drug delivery

Research into the development of systemic therapies to prevent recurrence

5.4 Systemic Therapies - Clinical Applications


Clinical testing and application of treatments administered systemically such as cytotoxic

or hormonal agents, novel systemic therapies such as immunologically directed therapies

(treatment vaccines, antibodies), gene therapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, apoptosis

inhibitors, whole body hyperthermia, bone marrow/stem cell transplantation, and

differentiating agents

Phase I, II, or III clinical trials of promising therapies administered systemically

Side effects, toxicity, and pharmacodynamics

Clinical testing of systemic therapies to prevent recurrence and prevent and treat

metastases

5.5 Combinations of Localized and Systemic Therapies


Development and testing of combined local and systemic approaches to treatment (e.g.,

radiotherapy and chemotherapy, or surgery and chemotherapy)

Clinical application of combined approaches to treatment such as systemic cytotoxic

therapy and radiation therapy

Development and clinical application of combined localized and systemic therapies to

prevent recurrence and prevent and treat metastases

5.6 Complementary and Alternative Treatment Approaches


Discovery, development, and clinical application of complementary/alternative medicine

(CAM) treatment approaches such as diet, herbs, supplements, natural substances, or

other interventions that are not widely used in conventional medicine or are being applied

in different ways as compared to conventional medical uses


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Complementary/alternative or non-pharmaceutical approaches to prevent recurrence and

prevent and treat metastases

5.7 Resources and Infrastructure Related to Treatment and the Prevention of Recurrence


Informatics and informatics networks; for example, clinical trials networks and databanks

Mathematical and computer simulations


Clinical trial groups

Epidemiological resources pertaining to treatment


Drugs and reagents for distribution and drug screening infrastructures


Development and characterization of new model systems for treatment, distribution of






Reviews/meta-analyses of clinical effectiveness of therapeutics/treatments





6 - CANCER CONTROL, SURVIVORSHIP, AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH

Research included in this category includes a broad range of areas: patient care and pain

management; tracking cancer cases in the population; beliefs and attitudes that affect

behavior regarding cancer control; ethics; education and communication approaches for

patients, family/caregivers, and health care professionals; supportive and end-of-life care; and

health care delivery in terms of quality and cost effectiveness.

6.1 Patient Care and Survivorship Issues


Research into patient centred outcomes

Quality of life

Pain management

Psychological impacts of cancer survivorship

Rehabilitation, including reconstruction and replacement

Economic sequelae, including research on employment, return to work, and

vocational/educational impacts on survivors and their families/caregivers


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Reproductive issues

Long-term issues (morbidity, health status, social and psychological pathways)

Symptom management, including nausea, vomiting, lymphedema, neuropathies, etc.

Prevention and management of long-term treatment-related toxicities and sequelae,

including symptom management (e.g., physical activity or other interventions),

prevention of mucosities, prevention of cardiotoxicities, opportunistic infections, etc.

Psychological, educational or complementary/alternative (e.g., hypnotherapy, relaxation,

transcendental meditation, imagery, spiritual healing, massage, biofeedback, herbs, spinal

manipulation, yoga, acupuncture) interventions/approaches to promote behaviors that

lessen treatment-related morbidity and promote psychological adjustment to the diagnosis

of cancer and to treatment effects

Burdens of cancer on family members/caregivers and interventions to assist family

members/caregivers

Educational interventions to promote self-care and symptom management

Research into peer support, self-help, and other support groups

Behavioral factors in treatment compliance

6.2 Surveillance


Epidemiology and end results reporting (e.g., SEER)

Registries that track incidence, morbidity, co-morbidities/symptoms, long-term effects

and/or mortality related to cancer

Surveillance of established cancer risk factors in populations such as diet, body weight,

physical activity, sun exposure, and tobacco use

Analysis of variations in established cancer risk factor exposure in populations by

demographic, geographic, economic, or other factors

Trends in use of interventional strategies in populations (e.g., geographic variation)

6.3 Population-based Behavioral Factors


Research into populations’ attitudes and belief systems (including cultural beliefs) and

their influence on behaviors related to cancer control, outcomes and treatment. For

example, how populations’ beliefs can affect compliance/interaction with all aspects of

the health care/service provision

6.4 Health Services, Economic and Health Policy Analyses


Development and testing of health service delivery methods

Interventions to increase the quality of health care delivery

Impact of organizational, social, and cultural factors on access to care and quality of care,

including studies on variations or inequalities in access among racial, ethnic,

geographical or socio-economic groups


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Studies of providers such as geographical or care-setting variations in outcomes

Effect of reimbursement and/or insurance on cancer control, outcomes, and survivorship

support

Health services research, including health policy and practice

Analysis of health service provision, including the interaction of primary and secondary

care

Analyses of the cost effectiveness of methods used in cancer prevention, detection,

diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and survivor care/support

6.5 Education and Communication Research


Development of generic health provider-patient communication tools and methods (e.g.,

telemedicine/health)

Tailoring educational approaches or communication to different populations (e.g., social,

racial, geographical, or linguistic groups)

Research into new educational and communication methods and approaches, including

special approaches and considerations for underserved and at-risk populations

Research on new methods and strategies to disseminate cancer information/innovation to

healthcare providers (e.g., web-based information, telemedicine, smartphone apps, etc.)

and the effectiveness of these approaches

Research on new communication processes and/or media and information technologies

within the health care system and the effectiveness of these approaches

Media studies focused on the nature and ways in which information on cancer and cancer

research findings are communicated to the general public

Education, information, and assessment systems for the general public, primary care

professionals, or policy makers

Research into barriers to successful health communication

6.6 End-of-Life Care


Hospice/end-of-life patient care focused on managing pain and other symptoms (e.g.,

respiratory distress, delirium) and the provision of psychological, social, spiritual and

practical support through either conventional or complementary/alternative

interventions/approaches throughout the last phase of life and into bereavement

Quality of life and quality of death for terminally-ill patients

Provision of psychological, social, spiritual and practical support to families/caregivers

through either conventional or complementary/alternative interventions/approaches

Research into the delivery of hospice care

6.7 Research on Ethics and Confidentiality



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Informed consent modeling/framing and development

Quality of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

Protecting patient confidentiality and privacy

Research ethics

Research on publication bias within the cancer research field

6.8 – Historical code [no longer used]

6.9 Resources and Infrastructure Related to Cancer Control, Survivorship, and Outcomes

Research


Informatics and informatics networks

Clinical trial groups related to cancer control, survivorship, and outcomes research

Epidemiological resources pertaining to cancer control, survivorship, and outcomes

research

Statistical methodology or biostatistical methods pertaining to cancer control,

survivorship and outcomes research

Surveillance infrastructures

Centers, consortia, and/or networks pertaining to cancer control, survivorship and

outcomes research

Development and characterization of new model systems for cancer control, outcomes or

survivorship, distribution of models to scientific community or research into novel ways

of applying model systems, including but not limited to computer-simulation systems,

software development, in vitro/cell culture models, organ/tissue models or animal model

systems. Guidance note: this should only be used where the focus of the award is creating

a model. If it is only a tool or a methodology, code to the research instead.

Psychosocial, economic, political and health services research frameworks and models



research technique courses, and Master's course attendance. This does not include longer-

term research-based training, such as Ph.D. or post-doctoral fellowships.


29

APPENDIX B: SAMPLE OF GENERAL AUDIENCE SUMMARY

Blood and marrow transplant (BMT) is a very intensive therapy used to cure patients with cancer

who have no other hope for a cure. The therapy often requires patients to be aware from home

for several months. During this time, they need to have one or more family or friend caregivers

who can stay with them and assist with their physical care and emotional support. These

caregivers are vital to the success of the transplant. We know from other diseases where family

members or friends assist with the care of the patient that this can be very stressful but rewarding

for the caregiver. The caregivers need special education in order to be able to provide good care.

Sometimes the caregivers become so stressed that they become physically ill. There have been a

few research studies that have looked to see if BMT caregivers have the same experience as

caregivers of other types of patients. Virtually all of the subjects in these studies have been upper

middle class Caucasians. Caregivers from other cultures may have a very different experience.

Because these caregivers are so critical to the success of BMT, we need to understand what their

experience is so that we can develop methods to give them better support and keep them healthy

and able to provide care. It is important to understand how to do this for caregivers from all

cultures. As we reach an understanding of BMT caregivers from different cultures, some of this

knowledge may also be applied to caregivers of other cancer patients receiving other types of

therapy.


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APPENDIX C: SAMPLE OF STRUCTURED TECHNICAL ABSTRACT

REQUIRED ONLY FOR RESEARCH PLAN PART B

Title of Project: Effects of Social Support in Older Women with Breast Cancer

Background: Age is the most important determinant of breast cancer (BC) risk. BC is the most

commonly diagnosed cancer in women with nearly 216,000 estimated new diagnoses in the

United States during 2004. Over 65% of women diagnosed with BC between 1997- 2001 were

55 years or older. By 2011, 10,000 Americans will turn 65 years old every day. Thus, there is a

critical need for evidence that can contribute to age-specific care guidelines specific to the

elderly experiencing cancer. Evidence describing the daily living perspective of an elderly

person with cancer has increased over the last decade, but questions remain. A particular

question of interest is the impact of the cancer symptom experience on an elder’s functional

ability, specifically social functioning. With the understanding that social relationships are

central in a woman’s life, social functioning takes on importance in the BC experience.

Objective: The main questions of this study are “Does BC treatment-related symptoms affect a

woman’s ability to engage in social relationships and leisure activities?” and “How does

perceived social support, age, and marital status affect this relationship?”

Specific aims: The specific aims and hypotheses proposed to explore these questions will

include:

Specific Aim 1. To compare the symptom experience and effect it has on social functioning in

two cohorts: older women with BC (age > 60) and younger women with BC (age < 60).

Hypothesis 1a: The increased number cancer-related symptoms and their severity will

be related to decreased social functioning of women.

Hypothesis 1b: Increased age in addition to number and severity of symptoms will

decrease a women’s social functioning.

Specific Aim 2. To examine if perceived social support moderates the effect of the symptom

experience on social functioning in a cohort of elderly women with BC.

Hypothesis 2: Increased perceived social support will decrease the effect of symptom

experience on social functioning.

Specific Aim 3. To determine to what extent perceived social support is related to age and

marital status in older and younger women with BC.

Hypothesis 3a: Older women with BC will have lower perceived social support than

younger women with BC.

Hypothesis 3b: Older women with BC who are married or partnered will have increased

social support compared to older women who are not married or

partnered.

Exploratory Aim. To explore if a particular symptom or combination of symptoms have an

increased impact on social functioning.

Study design: This study will be a secondary data analysis of data previously collected to

evaluate the effectiveness of a strategy to manage cancer-related fatigue. The data set includes

responses to a variety of quantitative measures completed by 221 women, aged 30 to 83. Over

one third of the sample is aged 60 or older. After data cleaning, a variety of statistical tests will

be conducted. Multivariate linear regression will be used for Specific Aim 1. Multi-step

hierarchical regression analysis will test the moderating effects of social support in Specific Aim


31

2. Independent t-tests will be used to explore expected age differences described in Specific Aim

3. Depending if one or more symptoms are evaluated, the exploratory aim will be evaluated

using Pearson correlation coefficient or analysis of variance.

Cancer relevance: The results of this study will increase understanding of the impact of cancer

symptoms on social functioning and the moderating effects of social support in the BC

experience. Anticipated age related differences will be explicated. Additionally, identifying the

symptom or group of symptoms with significant impact on social functioning may also have

clinical applications.

Anticipated age related differences will be explicated. Additionally, identifying the symptom or

group of symptoms with significant impact on social functioning may also have clinical

applications.


32

APPENDIX D: APPLICATION REVIEW CRITERIA

The following items are used by reviewers in evaluating applications for the Doctoral Degree

Scholarship in Cancer Nursing.

If the application is a resubmission, comment on the adequacy of the response to the prior

review.

Biographical Information (Applicant)

Type of doctoral program (is it a distance learning program?); applicant’s GPA; per cent

completed

Professional education to date

Adequate (e.g. 15 hours over 3 years) continuing education relevant to proposed area of

study

Current certification(s) in cancer nursing or other relevant specialty

Relevant professional experience in oncology, e.g., cancer nursing or related field, such

as oncology social work, oncology research coordinator, etc.

Membership in cancer nursing-related professional organizations; note leadership and/or

sustained involvement

Cancer-related volunteer activities; consider period of involvement and/or leadership

roles

Professional Contributions and Goals

Research or clinical presentations related to area of study

Authorship on publications in area of study.

Research involvement to date; consider role i.e., leadership on own or another’s research

study versus performance of research tasks such as data collection or management

Any other professional contributions (standards, teaching tools, videos) related to area of

study?

Professional honors and awards

Scholastic awards or funded scholarships

Explication of the relationship between past experiences, doctoral study, and professional

goals

Doctoral Program

Strength of rationale given for choice of doctoral program

Integration of cancer nursing content in planned program of study


33

Evidence of experiences relevant to the proposed research and cancer nursing in the

program of study

Fit between applicant and the program, goals and proposed research

Research Plan

Feasibility of program progression time line

Appropriate choice of Research Plan Part A or Part B (relative to timing of submission of

dissertation proposal for review).

If the student completed Research Plan Part A, use the following review criteria:

Topic

Description of the problem and presentation of the applicant’s reason for interest in the

topic


Appropriateness of literature review, particularly given the applicant’s time in the

program:

o Was the method for conducting database searches described?

o Did the results support the proposed research question?

o How well did the background / review of literature summarize the state of

knowledge in the area and gaps?


Potential contribution to the health of people affected by cancer or at risk for cancer and

in which specific area(s) of the cancer continuum

Relevance to previous research and to building a program of research


Cancer nursing faculty and other cancer faculty available to assist and guide the student

in the development of a dissertation. (Consider also the background and qualifications of

the dissertation chair if different from the faculty advisor.) For those enrolled in distance

programs, consider the individuals who will act as local research mentors.

Resources available to conduct the research

Or, use the following review criteria if the student completed Research Plan Part B:

Topic

Purpose and aims of study; are the latter specific and feasible?

If the proposal is related to another research project, such as a secondary analysis or a

supplemental aim/extension of a faculty member’s research, is there a sufficient

description of the parent or primary study that makes clear the distinction between the

studies?


Was the method for conducting database searches described?


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Did the results support the proposed research question?

How well did the background / review of literature summarize the state of knowledge in

the area and gaps?


Potential of the proposed research to impact the health of people affected by cancer or at

risk for cancer and in which specific area(s) of the cancer continuum

Relevance of dissertation research to previous research and to building a program of

research

Preliminary Work

Circumstances and nature of any preliminary work conducted. What is the contribution

to the dissertation?

Research Design and Methods

Appropriateness of design / methodology for the research question, and the applicant’s

time in the program. Are the following described:

o The sample or target population including any exclusion and inclusion criteria plus

evidence of access;

o Enrollment methodology, study procedures, appropriate use of intervention/control

groups, and the analysis plan for each research question or specific aim;

o Appropriateness of standardized questionnaires or psychometrics of instruments to

be used;

o For intervention trials, discussion of threats to internal validity;

o For group comparison studies, appropriateness of statistical approach, including

power analysis or rationale if one is not included.


Composition of the dissertation committee (Consider also the background and

qualifications of the dissertation chair if different from the faculty advisor.) For those

enrolled in distance programs, consider the individuals who will act as local research

mentors.

Resources available to conduct the research and evidence of access to them, e.g., letters

of support

Program Advisor

Evidence of relevant educational and research experience in the proposed training plan

and impact on the student’s career development

Qualifications of faculty advisor and/or dissertation chair to mentor the student in the

proposed research area. Consider current and previous doctoral students mentored,

relevance of ongoing research to the student’s study, and evidence of commitment and

availability.


35

Letters of recommendation – should come from two individuals (NOT the faculty advisor or

dissertation chair) who know the candidate well and are qualified to assess the candidate’s

academic abilities and potential for a career as a cancer nurse scientist.


36

APPENDIX E: RECOMMENDATION FORM

RECOMMENDATION REQUEST FORM FOR:

Name & Title of Respondent

Department and Institution

Signature & Date

Because this information will be provided for peer review, please use the form provided. A total of

3 pages may be submitted.

Based on the degree of accomplishment usually expected of individuals at this level, rate the

applicant on the items below by a numerical score of 1 to 5. (1 - Outstanding; 2 - Above Average;

3 - Average; 4 - Below Average; 5 - Poor; X - Insufficient Knowledge to Rate).

A. ORIGINALITY F. PERSEVERANCE IN PURSUING GOALS

B. ACCURACY G. ABILITY TO ORGANIZE SCIENTIFIC DATA

C. RESEARCH ABILITY

H. FAMILIARITY WITH RESEARCH

LITERATURE

D. SCIENTIFIC

BACKGROUND

I. PROFICIENCY IN LABORATORY WORK, IF

RELEVANT

E. ABILITY TO EXCHANGE

IDEAS J. CLINICAL PROFICIENCY, IF RELEVANT

1. Describe any qualifications and traits of special significance in judging the applicant’s

potential for significant contributions in the sciences related to cancer nursing (emphasize

research aspects). Describe any limitations that should be considered in evaluating the

applicant.

2. Please indicate the dates associated with this applicant and the capacity served at that time

(teacher, advisor, supervisor or other).

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